Harry Potter and the Keeper of Secrets
by Adele Elisabeth
Summary: Harry meets Morag Snape. Morag shows him that even the most beautiful rose has thorns - and then the rose is gone, and you're left with your finger bleeding. Secrets and lies within secrets and lies abound. **COMPLETE. R&R**
1. Keep Your Friends Close - And Your Enemi...

Nope, I don't own any of the characters that aren't made up by me. Wait, that didn't sound right. Try again. I don't own any of the characters except for: Morag Snape, Morganna Snape, Montgomery the owl, and all characters in the Montaque family. Oh, the story line is mine. Other stuff like Professor Snape, Harry Potter, that's all property of the author of the Harry Potter series (whose name currently escapes me –bashes head against the wall-)  
  
Note to Reader: I worked pretty hard on this chapter – it's way longer than I intended. 'Chapter Two: Secrets and Lies' will be up as soon as I can manage it, but please people, I'm just getting started. I've never done a Harry Potter fanfic before (I role-play it on neopets.com instead…). My writing skills are distinctly limited, so if any 'real writers' out there think that you could do a better job – go ahead. You're probably right.  
  
Thanks to: my friend Shannon for being such a great role-player so that I had such a great base for Professor Snape (who Shannon plays on neopets.com). My friend Chrissie, for playing Lily Evans (Lily Potter) so well so that I had great things to use as Morganna's memories. My little sister Sorcha for being so annoying I had to do something to escape her. My old teacher Mr. Bros. and my old principal Sister Jane for liking and encouraging my writing two years ago when I was just writing medieval/fantasy stuff that wasn't even very good. My English teachers through the years, I always liked writing stories and poems and English class was great for me. My friends, without you guys I'd never get out of the house. Now, I've thanked enough people, and if this gets reviewed, I'll be thanking even more people at the start of the next chapter. I'd better let you go so you can read my story, huh? Please review it – but if you don't like it, only helpful criticism, I'd rather not hear "Your writing is so bad that I'd rather watch grass grow", or "Did you wake up one day and decide to start torturing the world?" okay? Thanks, read on!  
  
Chapter One: Keep Your Friends Close – And Your Enemies Closer  
  
Morag Lillith Snape, fifteen year old daughter of Professor Snape and his wife Morganna Snape. Tall, already taller than her mother – though since Morganna Snape is barely over 5", this wasn't hard – with deep blue eyes and long silvery-blonde hair. Slender, classically beautiful, Morag, like her mother, was part veela. She stood in Diagon Alley with her mother, looking at owls in the window of a shop. Her owl, a talking snowy owl named Montgomery, was getting very old (he used to be her mother's), getting senile, and since he could talk – getting annoying. Her father made it clear he'd like nothing better than to beat Montgomery to death with rolled up copies of the Daily Prophet. She brushed her hair out of her eyes, and stopped looking at the owls when she heard Montgomery's outraged "I'm still a perfectly good owl, you stop looking at them this instant, Morag!"  
  
"Relax, Gom. I was just window shopping, I wouldn't really replace you." She smiled at the silly old bird, adding silently, Not until Daddy has seen to it that you're good and gone, anyway.  
  
"I don't like the look of them." He grumbled.  
  
Morag's mother laughed. "Gom, just you make sure you don't chase any more squirrels this year, or you will be replaced."  
  
"Squirrels – damned little devil worshippers. Out to get me, I'm telling you." Gom muttered, but quietly, so Morganna didn't hear him. Just then, Professor Snape walked out of Gringotts.  
  
Gom tried to hide behind Morag's head, and wasn't really succeeding. Professor Snape narrowed his eyes at Gom, but didn't say anything because he was too busy sighing and handing his wife and daughter money to buy school things, something to eat, and perhaps a new set of dress robes, since they're there anyway… (Morganna was a born shopper, and the Professor was having a hard time not giving into the combined effort of Mother & Daughter)  
  
"You aren't taking that damned owl, Morag." Snape said irritably. "He's a menace."  
  
"I'm a menace?! You murderous old…" Gom trailed off when he saw Snape glaring at him.  
  
"I couldn't very well just leave him behind, Daddy." Morag said in that coaxing tone she normally reserved for extra pocket money or a new dress.  
  
"If I see him chasing any squirrels, he'll be back home so fast he won't know what happened to him." Snape threatened.  
  
"Yes, Daddy." Morag said submissively. They both knew she'd won the argument.  
  
Morganna smiled brightly. "Now, darling, why don't you take Gom and get your books and such, and I'll see about those new dress robes."  
  
Snape seemed rather out of place, on this shopping expedition with Morag and Morganna. Morganna turned and beamed at him, having just told Morag to meet them at a relatively new shop, a french wizarding wear shop, Les chiffons aux Richesses ('Rags to Riches'). A shop which Morganna owned – a label that had been in her family for years, and was doing fabulously in France, a designer label now.  
  
"Come along, Severus," Morganna hurried him as they walked to the shop.  
  
Harry was dumbstruck. Ron and Hermione turned.  
  
"What are you looking at, Harry?" Hermione asked.  
  
"That girl – with Snape. I've seen her at Hogwarts before, and that woman must be her mother, but why were they with Snape?" Harry replied, slowly.  
  
Hermione glanced at her, she was walking towards them. "Well, we can ask her."  
  
"Excuse me," the girl (Morag…) asked them, "but have you seen an elderly sort of snowy owl? He's probably muttering to himself, something about squirrels and potions masters?" she seemed very polite.  
  
"Muttering to himself?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yes. I know it sounds odd, but he's a talking owl." Morag smiled at them.  
  
"Can I ask you a question?" Harry asked.  
  
"You can ask me another question." Morag grinned. Ron had been distracted by what looked like Morag's owl trying to hide behind him.  
  
"Why were you with Professor Snape?" Harry blurted it out.  
  
"Oh…oh! He's my father." Morag replied, somewhat amused, then she spotted Gom. "Montgomery Montaque, come over here this instant or I'll stick you in a cage."  
  
Before Harry, Ron, or Hermione had a chance to say anything, Gom whimpered and came out from behind Ron to perch on Morag's shoulder.  
  
"You wouldn't really put me in a cage?" he asked petulantly. "Your mother put me in a cage once. Got one of her friends in the dormitory to let me out. Sneaked back and bit Lucius Malfoy's finger." Gom sounded almost proud. "You were just a baby then, Morag."  
  
"Gom, can we not have the family history in the middle of the street? I was talking to these nice people." Morag complained. "Sorry, he's always like this." She apologized to them, and went on, "He likes talking about the 'good old days' with 'Morgy and Lily and Sev'." She rolled her eyes.  
  
"Who?" Ron asked, curious.  
  
"Morganna Montaque, my mother, Lily Evans, my godmother, and Severus Snape, my father." Morag explained. "Morgy, Lily and Sev. I'm sorry, I haven't properly introduced myself. I'm Morag Snape, and this is my owl Montgomery, and you are?"  
  
"Hermione Granger." Hermione said promptly. "This is Harry Potter and Ron Weasley."  
  
"Harry Potter?" Morag looked perhaps a little surprised, but she didn't stare at his scar, or look particularly interested.  
  
"Yeah." Harry said, and then asked suddenly, "Lily Evans?"  
  
"Umm, yes. She married – oh." Morag stopped. "You're mum."  
  
"Professor Snape was friends with Harry's mum?" Ron's eyes widened.  
  
"Really?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yes, I've got pictures as well. Mum gave them to me, when Gom started telling me about everything. He could tell you guys his stories too, if you want." Morag said, a little shyly.  
  
"Aren't you a Slytherin?" Hermione interrupted.  
  
Morag went red. "Yes, I am. So?"  
  
"Slytherins are supposed to hate Gryffindors, aren't they?" Hermione looked skeptical, as if Morag was just playing some silly game of her own.  
  
"Or Draco Malfoy'll 'do something about' me? Hardly, Draco's pretty easy to get around." Morag rolled her eyes again. Harry could see how Morag could 'get around' Draco, she was one of the prettiest girls he'd ever seen – she was a veela, he realized. Like Fleur. It must have been on her mother's side, he decided, recalling the definite silver sheen to Mrs. Snape's hair, the almost ethereal beauty.  
  
Ron grinned at Morag. "We're just going in to get our books, you want to come with us?"  
  
"If I'm not imposing, I am after all a Slytherin, you wouldn't want people in your house thinking you were 'fraternizing with the enemy'." Morag grinned back.  
  
Morag Snape, Harry couldn't seem to get her out of his head. And not just because she was pretty, there was something about her. It wasn't a particularly nice thing; she seemed like she was distancing herself from all of them, like there was something she didn't want them seeing, getting near. Something behind her eyes, just barely out of sight. A sort of malicious laughter, always on the edge of consciousness. He could see her, easily, standing there, in front of him, laughing and smiling. But that cold gleam just behind her smile, it was almost frightening.  
  
Harry was jerked back to reality when Professor McGonagall called his name. "Mr. Potter, I will appreciate it if you do not doze off in my class!" she said sharply.  
  
Ron elbowed Harry in the ribs "Thinking about that Snape girl, are you? Dream on, Harry. Snape's daughter? He'd murder you!"  
  
"That's not what I was thinking!" Harry denied – and it was true. He hadn't thought of Morag 'like that'. She was just…there.  
  
"Concentrate, Harry, Ron." Hermione urged. "This might be in a test."  
  
Harry ran into Morag again that day – double potions with the Slytherins. Morag was sitting with Malfoy, laughing at something he'd said. She looked straight through Harry, as if he didn't even exist. Harry tried to ignore her, but it was difficult, she was in the seat just in front of him, silvery hair cascading down her back and almost shimmering in a very distracting way.  
  
"Potter," it was Snape. He stood next to Harry's desk. Harry noted that Morag and Malfoy turned in their seats, watching the Professor intently. "Potter, tell me, why do we forbid love potions?"  
  
"Pardon?" Harry stammered. He saw Morag smother a laugh, turning back around to her work.  
  
"Love potions, Potter. Why do we forbid them? It was in your book, Potter." Snape said impatiently, ignoring Hermione's waving hand.  
  
"Because, messing about with people's emotions is unethical?" Harry tried. He was astounded to see he was correct, Snape turned and walked back to the front of the class.  
  
"Potter is correct. Love potions are unethical, and unfair. Why am I discussing this?" Snape asked, looking directly at Morag. She returned his gaze steadily, and he looked at someone else.  
  
Hermione put her hand up. When nobody else did, Snape sighed and nodded. "Miss Granger?"  
  
"Because there were rumors someone had been using them here." She said quickly. Morag played with her hair.  
  
"Correct, Miss Granger. If anyone is caught using a love potion, what happens to them? Miss Snape?" he directed his question at Morag, his daughter. She sat up straighter in her seat.  
  
"They'll get suspended, temporarily, and their parents will be informed and brought to the school for a conference with Professor Dumbledore and the professor in charge of their house." She replied promptly. "Further punishment is decided at the conference."  
  
"Very good, Miss Snape." He nodded. "Keep that in mind, all of you."  
  
After that, lessons dragged on. Harry wondered why Professor Snape looked at Morag during his odd discussion. She didn't look like she'd need a love potion – but she was part veela (he'd asked Hagrid about it).  
  
Morag bumped into Harry later that day, in the evening. She was headed to the library from one direction, and he from the other. They collided in front of the door.  
  
"Sorry." She said, and picked up the books she'd dropped.  
  
"Whatever." Harry muttered, walking into the library.  
  
Morag frowned, but walked through the door without a word. Her cousin, Elysoun Montaque, was waiting for her by the fire. Harry sat at a table not too conspicuously near, to hear what they were talking about. He wasn't sure who Elysoun was, but she looked like she might be a relative, and there was something about the barely checked cold fury that seemed to emanate from Morag that made him wonder.  
  
"What is it, Elysoun?" Morag hissed. A cold fire burned in her clear blue eyes.  
  
"Just what I told you, Morag Lillith Snape. The truth." Elysoun replied carelessly. Morag didn't intimidate Elysoun, but Harry felt that if Morag had looked at him like that, he'd be a little nervous at the very least.  
  
"The truth about my parents. So you said." Morag folded her arms and stood by the fire. "Start talking."  
  
"For starters, Lilli," Harry started slightly when he heard the nickname Elysoun used for Morag, but was smart enough to keep quiet. "Daddy isn't who you think he is."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Morag was suspicious.  
  
"Oh, Professor Snape's exactly who you think he is – except for one crucial thing. He's not your father."  
  
"Rot." Morag was shaken, but she didn't show it. "How would you know?"  
  
"I heard Aunt Maria talking to Papa about it, about 'Jonathan O'Connell' and the 'family tree incident', and how 'Severus looked like he might murder somebody'." Elysoun looked like she was enjoying Morag's pain. "Wake up, Lilli."  
  
"You're lying." Morag said flatly.  
  
"Why would I lie? What do I get out of this?" Elysoun mocked Morag. "It's you who's been living a lie."  
  
"I have not been living a lie! Elysoun Montaque, I swear to you, if you've lied to me," Morag was cut off by Elysoun's interruption.  
  
"Like I said, Lilli, I'm not lying. Not many people not family know, two of those people are dead." At this Elysoun glanced briefly at Harry, and he was a little confused. His parents knew about some strange drama in the Snape family?  
  
"Get out of my sight." Morag bit out. Elysoun shrugged, stood up, and sauntered calmly out of the library.  
  
Morag collapsed into a chair, tears running down her cheeks. Harry saw that her anger had only masked the pain – in her heart Morag knew that Elysoun wasn't lying. Elysoun didn't need to lie when the truth was so hurtful anyway.  
  
Morag looked up as Gom came flying in, and he perched next to her, oblivious to Harry's presence. "Morag, darling girl, I came as soon as I could – I heard that cackling little banshee was up to something."  
  
"It's true, isn't it Gom?" Morag asked quietly. This bird had entertained her when she was just a baby, had been her 'Wom' until she'd been able to say 'Gom'.  
  
"I'm sorry, Morag." Gom said. "It is. Morganna loved Severus – he was engaged to someone else. Akira Black, I believe. Sirius's sister. Well, he told her this just after she confessed her love. So she went out and found some silly Slytherin, a real jerk named Jonathan O'Connell." Gom paused. "Do you want to hear this?"  
  
"Yes, yes I do." Morag too seemed to have forgotten Harry.  
  
"All right. Well, she tried to leave England, go back to France. But Lily, she was such a good friend, talked her out of it. I recall James asking Morganna if she still loved Severus. She lied, and said no. Weren't a very good liar, but no matter. Well, when she went to ask Severus to be godfather of you, he told her he wasn't engaged anymore and that he loved her. Terrible timing they had. So she married Severus, and they were happy. You were born by the lake, Severus mucking about with a friend of his before that, Morganna with friends from France, and Lily." Gom would have smiled at the memory, but he only had a beak. She could hear the softened tone, and knew how he felt.  
  
"Gom, why didn't they tell me?" Harry heard the catch in Morag's voice, the ache.  
  
"They were going to, poppet, but not until you were much older. Elysoun beat them to it, evil catty little thing that she is." Gom made 'Elysoun' sound like an insult. Just then did he realize that Harry was there. "Good lord, is that Lily's boy?" he asked, curious.  
  
"Gom! Manners!" Morag said sharply, wiping away her tears. Gom tried to help, using a wing, but just succeeded in getting feathers in her mouth. She spluttered, standing up. "Gom, I'll be okay. Tell Mum I found out, or Daddy, whoever you see first. They'll probably want to 'talk' with me."  
  
Gom nodded. "If you're sure, pet." He flapped out of the library, and Morag was left alone with Harry.  
  
She lifted her chin defiantly. "Go ahead, Potter," she invited, "say something vicious. Daddy lied to me, Mum lied to me, and now I find out from my evil cousin. I'm a Slytherin, aren't you as a Gryffindor supposed to celebrate my downfall?"  
  
"And you said that didn't matter." Harry reminded her.  
  
"The hell it doesn't matter." She was angry and upset, lashing out at whomever was handy. Malicious light flickered in her eyes. "Shouldn't you be pleased? Poor little Potter lost his Mummy and his Daddy, well now the daughter of his most hated professor finds out she's not really the professor's daughter – why aren't you already dancing with glee?"  
  
Harry saw why she was in Slytherin. She was fascinating, and beautiful, but she was viciously cruel when she wanted to be. Her eyes flashed dangerously. "Run away, Potter. Every rose has thorns, and I'm in a particularly thorny mood."  
  
Deciding he wouldn't do himself any favors by staying, Harry left quietly. As he walked towards the Gryffindor Common Room, the viciously malicious look in Morag's eyes haunted him, refusing to budge from his memory. Gom's 'Good Lord, is that Lily's boy' too, it was imprinted in his memory, as if hearing anew every few moments. The owl seemed to know so much about things so long ago – maybe he knew about Harry's family, about what happened to them. He recalled what Elysoun had called Morag, 'Lilli'. Short for Lillith, he assumed, since there wasn't much you could do with the name Morag. He was so ensconced in his thoughts that he didn't notice Professor Snape until it was too late, and he'd already bumped into him. Behind Snape was his wife, Mrs. Snape, didn't that owl say her name was Morganna?  
  
"Sorry, Professor." Harry managed after a few moments of Snape's glaring.  
  
"Watch where you're going, Potter." Snape told him coldly.  
  
"Severus, we've more important things to do than harass Harry about looking where he walks," Mrs. Snape interrupted. Harry felt rather grateful to her, when Snape turned to regard his wife. After a few moments of Snape's dark eyes against Mrs. Snape's brilliant blue, he shrugged and turned. "Out of the way, Potter."  
  
"Morag's by the fire in the library." Harry said as Snape passed him. He saw the Professor stiffen, but didn't turn, or say anything. Mrs. Snape glanced briefly back at Harry, with a questioning glance, a soft, almost motherly look in her eyes. But she blinked it away and walked into the library after her husband.  
  
Snape wasn't the only person Harry bumped into on the way back to the common room. Malfoy was next.  
  
"Watch it, Potter, you're a walking disaster area." Malfoy sneered.  
  
"Morag tell you that?" Harry asked, purely out of spite.  
  
"She didn't need to!" Malfoy retorted. "She's not got time for Gryffindors like you, Potter."  
  
"Her mother had plenty of time for Gryffindors like me." Harry shot back. "Didn't you know? She and my mother were best of friends."  
  
Malfoy paled – he hadn't known that. "I doubt that very much, Potter."  
  
"I can prove it one way or the other." Elysoun had sauntered up behind them, without their noticing. "I've got Aunt Maria's sixth year journal."  
  
"Well then, why don't you?" Malfoy invited her. She went and stood between them, not facing either.  
  
"23rd of December, Morganna Maria Montaque's sixth year." Elysoun read aloud. "I fell out of a tree today. Trying to get Montgomery down so he would stop harassing the squirrels. No such luck and I twisted my ankle when I landed. I do wish it had been Lily that came instead of Severus, I really do think he's going to murder my silly old owl. I can't imagine what it would be like if Lily and James weren't together, or weren't around. Lily's been my very best friend ever since I came to Hogwarts, along with Severus." Elysoun stopped reading. "I think that's proof enough, don't you boys?"  
  
"Impossible." Malfoy said flatly. "Not Professor Snape's own wife."  
  
"I didn't write it." Elysoun laughed, and handed the journal to Harry. "There are some things in there you might be interested in, Potter. Just don't let Morag know you've got it – my dear cousin has something of a temper on her."  
  
Harry stared incredulously at the retreating form of Elysoun Montaque. Malfoy recovered first. "Don't think this means you've got a chance with Morag Snape, Potter. She's more likely to date Crabbe or Goyle before you."  
  
"Did I ever say I wanted a chance with Snape's daughter?" Harry asked, raising his eyebrow. "Shove off, Malfoy."  
  
The next day, Slytherins and Gryffindors had flying practice together. Morag was on her Firebolt, next to Malfoy. Malfoy was admiring her broom, and Hermione frowned as she saw Harry watching the two of them.  
  
"Harry, she's a Slytherin. What did you expect?" Hermione asked patiently.  
  
"She seemed…different that day." Harry said lamely.  
  
"Friendlier, more relaxed?" Hermione suggested. Harry nodded. "Well, she was. But now she's back at Hogwarts, with Malfoy at her elbow, and her father just behind. Stop brooding."  
  
"I was not brooding." Harry denied, kicking off the ground to hover in the air. If he'd been watching her still, he would have seen Morag look at him, with an almost quizzical look on her perfect features.  
  
"Whatever you say, Harry." Hermione shrugged. "Whatever you say."  
  
"What're you two arguing about now?" Ron came over, his broom was just one of the school ones.  
  
"Harry's been brooding about the Snape girl." Hermione answered before Harry could say anything.  
  
"I have not, Ron, Hermione's just jumping to conclusions." Harry told his friend, and then with a jolt recalled that he still had Mrs. Snape's old journal. If Snape caught him with that…!  
  
Morag flew like she was born to it, Harry noted. Her motions were fluid, and she never once hesitated at Madam Hooch's commands. Left, right, up or down, she managed everything. Malfoy flew close to her, as if reminding Harry she was out of bounds. Not that Harry wanted her 'in bounds' anyway.  
  
"She's just a silly girl who's used to getting her own way." Harry looked around to see where the voice came from. It was Mad-Eye Moody – he'd come back to have a proper year of teaching at Hogwarts.  
  
"Professor Moody," Harry stammered, "I didn't see you there."  
  
"No, I shouldn't think you did. What's so fascinating about Snape's daughter, Potter?" Moody asked, watching Harry with his normal eye, his magic one was following Morag.  
  
"She knows all this stuff about my parents, she acts like she owns whatever she touches, and she's never hesitated before anything. She always got this rage boiling away just out of sight." Harry responded, wondering why Moody was asking him about Morag Snape.  
  
"You want to know why I'm asking?" Moody asked.  
  
"Well, yes, Professor." Harry replied.  
  
"Because Miss Snape up there doesn't make sense to anybody. I don't think her own parents quite understand her half the time." Moody told him.  
  
"She seems to know Malfoy quite well. I've not seen her much before." Said Harry.  
  
"So she should. The Snapes know the Malfoys – all four of them were at Hogwarts together. I imagine Malfoy finds the self-proclaimed empress fascinating." Moody growled.  
  
Harry, slightly startled by the definite growl to Moody's voice, turned a little to look at Morag and Malfoy.  
  
Morag, as it just so happened, didn't really like Draco any more than she liked Harry. But, her father was once more a spy among the Death Eaters, and she figured the best way to help Daddy was to get close to the Malfoys.  
  
"Draco," she purred, laying a hand on his arm, "can I maybe borrow your transfiguration notes? I think I must have dozed off in class!" she tossed her silvery blonde hair and smiled at him. Draco didn't notice the cold calculation behind her eyes, the iced fury that was always there now.  
  
"Of course you can, Lilli." Draco told her, rummaging through his bag. All her friends called her 'Lilli' now, it was a definite improvement on 'Morag', the name her mother had stuck her with.  
  
"Thanks awfully, Draco." She smiled brightly at him. She turned, bored, only to see Harry Potter. What's he doing watching me? She thought, and then added to herself, he's just another Gryffindor. Like the rest of them. Not worth the air they're breathing.  
  
Draco handed her the notes, not having seen Harry. Morag took them, and when she turned back, Harry was gone.  
  
Harry thought. As he thought, he brooded. As he brooded, things began to become clear. Or rather, clearer. Morag Snape was up to something, of that much he was sure. But what? She knew something…she was doing something…again, but what? Harry didn't see how getting close to Malfoy helped her at all. Maybe he was missing something.  
  
Then, in his mind, something snapped, and he realized what it was Morag Lillith Snape was doing. She was protecting her family in the only way she could – snuggling up to the enemy. Dumbledore had said to Snape last year that he knew what he must ask him to do. It all clicked. Snape was a spy among the Death Eaters – that had to be it! If he was, then especially Draco Malfoy couldn't see Morag with Gryffindors, ever. So, she had turned away from Harry, Ron and Hermione the instant that they came around anyone who might report to the Death Eaters, and now she was abiding by the old saying 'Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer'.  
  
Harry knew then what he had to do. Somehow, he had to tell Morag that he knew. How? She was always with Malfoy now – there had to be a time.  
  
Hermione! Harry knew Hermione would help – if they could get Morag into Myrtle's bathroom, Hermione could tell Morag, and no one else would hear. It was perfect. 


	2. Secrets and Lies

Unless Somebody Secretly Bought It For Me…No, I still don't own any of JK Rowling's stuff. And I'm only fairly sure that's her name…Eurgh I'm terrible.  
  
Note to Reader: this chapter, I was already working on before I had put up Chapter One, so it should flow pretty smoothly from the last chapter. I'm trying to keep to character as much as possible (I'm so sorry, I'm probably getting Harry, Ron & Hermione so wrong. Please don't hate me! Amateur Writer Alert, Amateur Writer Alert!), but I bet I goofed. Any 'pairings' haven't been decided yet, at all. Anyone who suggests Draco&Morag will be shot on sight – jokes, jokes. Ron&Hermione is a definite possibility, but I'd rather you the readers told me who you want me to pair up, since it is after all, you that I'm writing for. Well, I'm writing for my own enjoyment as well. Gosh, I am long-winded, aren't I? Better get the thanks over with and on with the chapter! Okay, Draco&Morag is a viable option, but don't hold your breath waiting for anything definite in this chapter. I'm going to try and keep Secrets & Lies fairly short. After liking the idea of flashbacks so much after seeing them used in another story, expect to see one or two dancing about my writing. I thanked Chrissie on the last chapter for the great Lily to use in Morganna's memories – and then there were no memories! Sorry. New character is introduced in this chapter 'Thamala Blake'. Maybe I feel my plot is so weak I need lots of subplots to keep it flowing…now I just gotta work out what my plot is…  
  
Thanks to: JK Rowling for writing the Harry Potter series in the first place! Also thanks to another fanfiction writer, 'Rouge Magie'. If I hadn't read your fanfic, I would never have bothered polishing mine up to put on the board. If I think of more people to thank, it'll be at the start of chapter three.  
  
1 Chapter Two: Secrets and Lies  
  
Morag sat up in bed. It was early morning on Saturday, and she received an odd note from a familiar looking snowy owl. Harry's owl…? What was Harry doing sending her notes? She opened it.  
  
Come to Myrtle's bathroom as soon as you get this. ~ Hermione  
  
1.1 Morag shrugged, got up, and dressed quickly.  
  
"Lilli? Where are you going?" it was Elysoun. She was awake? Damn.  
  
"I've got to go to the bathroom." Morag replied, on her way out the door. Well, she wasn't really lying. She just wasn't telling the whole truth – and who in their right mind would tell Elysoun Montaque the whole truth? Not Morag Snape. Or rather, Lilli Snape, she corrected herself. Everyone called her Lilli now.  
  
-  
  
When she arrived at Myrtle's bathroom, she felt some apprehension, and probably would have hurried away if Hermione hadn't quickly opened the door.  
  
"Morag!" Hermione pulled her into the old, now-unused bathroom.  
  
"I'm here." Morag regarded Hermione coldly, dusting off her sleeve. "What do you want?"  
  
"It's about your father – and the Death Eaters." Hermione said quietly.  
  
That got Morag's attention. "What about him?"  
  
"We know. Or rather, Harry worked it out. That's what you're doing, isn't it? Protecting daddy by making friends with Draco Malfoy?" Hermione pressed.  
  
"Whatever you say, Granger." Morag said, seemingly careless. "If you say such things to anyone, you'll regret it." The underlying threat in Morag's voice was obvious.  
  
Hermione ignored it, and Morag left in a swirl of silvery hair and french perfume.  
  
-  
  
"Lilli!"  
  
Morag turned – she had thought that maybe, at the lake, people wouldn't be out so early on a Saturday. No such luck – here came Draco.  
  
"What?" she asked. Even to him, she was cold.  
  
"Ice queen." He accused. "Come warm up a bit." Before Morag could protest, Draco pulled her into his arms. She felt like being sick, but didn't say a word. Anyway, she was cold and body heat is a quick way of getting warm.  
  
She pulled away after a moment or two. Draco was grinning like a Cheshire cat, and she had to steel herself not to smack it off his face.  
  
"Was that so bad?" he asked, mockingly almost.  
  
"Could have been worse." She grudgingly admitted.  
  
"I should take that as a compliment, I suppose." Draco said, leaning against a tree. "Where's your cousin, Ella wasn't it?"  
  
"Elysoun. Why?" Morag turned to face him. Suspicion was etched in her face, and her clear blue eyes were as deceitful as ever.  
  
"She asked me if I wanted to go swimming in the lake with her one day." He said, looking for any telltale signs of jealousy. 'Well, if she is jealous,' he thought to himself, 'she isn't showing it.' He continued aloud, "I thought perhaps today…"  
  
He didn't get any further than that before Morag snorted derisively.  
  
Draco covered a smile. That was good enough for him.  
  
-  
  
Thamala Blake was new here, this year. A fifth year, she transferred from Beauxbatons. Thamala burned with an inner fire that not even Morag could rival. Nobody could look into those dark, dark eyes without wondering if they would ever look away. She was tall, slender, with long black hair and eyes so dark you couldn't tell what color they were – perhaps they were just black. Her skin was pale, and her lips were crimson naturally, such a contrast against her ivory white skin and Medusa-like black curls. She didn't inspire respect, or admiration, where she walked – she inspired foreboding, mistrust, and malice. Thamala Blake seemed the sort of girl who'd join Voldemort in a second – if she hadn't already.  
  
And she was here. At Hogwarts. Walking about as if she owned the place. She seemed…at home. The darkness in her eyes was nothing compared to the ice- cold darkness in her heart. Rumors about her spread like wildfire. She was Voldemort's daughter, she was the Heir of Slytherin, she killed babies for fun, she was versed in all the dark arts, you name it, they claimed she'd done it. But nobody really knew this frighteningly cold, frighteningly calm, girl. And Thamala liked it that way.  
  
Then she saw Morag.  
  
Most people, when they looked at Morag, saw a cruel, malicious, empty girl.  
  
But Thamala saw potential.  
  
Lots of it. 


	3. Potential Danger

I don't own anything that isn't mine. Umm. I mean I don't own any of JK Rowling's things. That's better.  
  
Note to reader: What did you think of Thamala Blake? Harry has had his archenemy, and now Morag has Thamala. It just keeps getting more and more complicated, huh?  
  
Thanks to: Shannon, for your wonderful Sev (I know, it's the second time I've thanked you for it. But now the Severus character is being used more…bet you anything that I thank you again at the beginning of the next chapter). Erin, for listening while I told her about this silly endeavor (Yes, I know what's going to happen in the end…long way from now. Plenty of chapters between to work out). All my friends at school (though I wish you'd stop calling me BlingBling), thanks for paying attention when I speak.  
  
-  
  
Chapter Three: Potential Danger  
  
-  
  
Thamala sat next to Morag that day, at breakfast. Draco was on Morag's other side. Her clear blue eyes were devoid of any emotion – her usual fire dampened by Thamala's presence.  
  
"Lilli, is it?" Thamala asked. Her voice was silky, hypnotizing. But Morag was careful to remain alert. She couldn't afford to be lulled, by anything.  
  
"Yes, that's me." She forced a smile. "You are?"  
  
"Thamala Blake." The dark-eyed girl introduced herself. "I just transferred from Beauxbatons."  
  
Already, Morag was inclined to dislike the slender girl with the eyes like fire. Eyes that burned right into you. Eyes that bared your soul and set it alight. Eyes of a predator. "Beauxbatons?" she managed after a few moments. "My mother's family went there."  
  
"The Montaques?" Thamala raised an eyebrow. "Lucia Montaque's still a legend there – nobody ever broke her record."  
  
"What record?" Draco interrupted. Morag shook her head slightly to Thamala.  
  
"It's a french thing. Wouldn't translate." Thamala said drily. Draco frowned.  
  
"So you're the new Slytherin?" Morag attempted to change the subject.  
  
"Yes, that's me. Your cousin, Sylph, she told me you went here." Thamala didn't seem prepared to change the subject too far. Morag was proud of herself for not wincing at mention of Sylph Montaque.  
  
"Sylph? I saw her just last summer." Morag's tone was mild, calm. She saw the way that the fire ever-burning in Thamala's deep dark eyes leapt, she knew she'd scored a point. Not many girls could remain so perfectly calm when speaking of the girl who was caught – unrepentant – kissing their boyfriend. She'd known for a while that she'd be showing Piers the door – but that didn't change the fact that he betrayed her trust. Sylph had made a point of making sure everyone at Beauxbatons knew, as well. The Montaque's fought their battles long and hard – but Morag's was over before it began.  
  
"So she said." Thamala replied. "She and Piers send their love."  
  
Morag narrowed her eyes. Now she was being blatantly tested. She kept her eyes carefully blank and smiled slightly. "How nice of them. I'm sure Sylph's got enough love to make the world go round."  
  
Thamala actually laughed at that. It was probably true, but what a way to put it! Morag couldn't help but laugh a bit herself. She could see, in the corner of her eye, Harry was looking at her. She ignored him, now was not the time.  
  
"That was a bit spiteful of me, wasn't it?" Morag said ruefully. Most of the Slytherins were observing them now. Thamala unnerved even them – but Morag seemed not to notice Thamala's odd eyes, the way she moved in that almost serpent-like way. The way her smiles never quite made it to her eyes – the way she was always watching.  
  
"Not at all. Sylph's been acting like she owns the place ever since that episode with Piers, and you definitely have a very good point. Sylph Montaque's got enough love to make the world go round. That is, if you want to call it love." Thamala smiled that knowing, cruel smile of someone who doesn't do anything without an ulterior motive.  
  
-  
  
Morag was down by the lake. It was evening, they'd just finished dinner. Her father stood behind her.  
  
"Morag." He said quietly. "Morag, turn around."  
  
"Why should I? You're not my father." It was said purely out of spite – like so many things lately – and she knew she'd hit a low blow.  
  
He forced her around to face him. "That is not true – I am your father despite whatever biological accident happened between your mother and O'Connell. I raised you, Morag Snape, your mother and I. Not him; he didn't want a damn thing to do with you! It was my fault that we were ever in this mess, Morag – if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be here. Think about that."  
  
Severus gripped his wand tightly. Lucius took it from him. 'Calm down, Severus. You can kill me later in charms. Save it for then.'  
  
Jenni looked at Morganna. 'What was his problem?' she watched Jonathan O'Connell's retreating figure.  
  
Morganna shrugged helplessly. 'I'm safely married off now – he's more or less free to harass me. So he does.'  
  
'Jerk.' Jenni said decisively. 'How'd you get involved with him, if you don't mind my asking?'  
  
Morganna avoided Severus's gaze as she answered. 'I was unhappy and flattered at his attentions.'  
  
Severus felt rooted to the spot. He was plagued by guilt – knowing that it was him who had caused the unhappiness that had them in this miserable situation.  
  
Morganna turned. Her brilliant blue eyes, soft and always full of love, held his. 'It wasn't your fault.' She told him.  
  
'Yes, it was.' He insisted. Lucius had backed off a bit.  
  
'No, it wasn't. You were engaged – what else could you have done?'  
  
"Think about that or what? You'll invade my thoughts too? I can't have a friendship with anyone in Gryffindor or the evil Lord Voldemort'll kill us all. I can't say two polite words to Harry or the evil Lord Voldemort'll kill us all. Yet you, when you first started, were best of friends with Lily Evans. How is that fair? Hmm? See the hypocrisy, father dearest?" Morag's eyes were nothing like her mother's – hard as agates and twice as cold as ice.  
  
Danger. That's what Severus Snape could see in Morag's sea-blue eyes. None of her mother's kindness, none of her mother's happiness, none of her mother's inner radiance. Just fire and fear.  
  
-  
  
Danger, everything was dangerous. Nothing could be done without first careful thought – no spontaneity in this family anymore. Morganna considered her every act, Morag – ah, Morag – she never said a single word without first checking who was around to hear it.  
  
And for the first time in her life, Morag was truly afraid. Not of Voldemort – he had always been there, but of what Thamala represented. In Thamala there was a potential danger – if she ever found out what Morag was doing, what she planned. 


	4. Memories

Anything by JK Rowling here I will not even pretend to own. How unlike me.  
  
Note to Reader: This chapter is based on role plays from Neopets.com, and I am aware that I will have gotten bits and pieces wrong – how the memory deceives one – but the gist of it all is still there. Only the first piece of the chapter is from the point of view of the adults. I get bored with them after a while, I'm sorry. They're just not central to the story right now, while they do influence it greatly.  
  
Another little note: It's official. Draco/Morag. I apologize in advance for my portrayal of Draco early in this chapter. He's supposed to be softened up by Morag's feminine wiles or some silly something like that. But I bet you people would never have guessed what Morag was up to when it came to Draco…! Not what you're thinking, I'm pretty sure. Or am I that predictable? I don't think so…  
  
Thanks to: Shannon – yet again. This chapter starts how so many of your role plays seem to – in Snape's office, with him being his usual self – which is to say, completely unlike anyone else on the planet. The truth hurts. To Chrissie, without you, so many of these memories just wouldn't happen, simply because Lily influenced Morganna so much. To Jenni (I haven't a clue what your real name is, I just think of you as Jenni, or neshomeh-from-neopets), like Chrissie, your character-Jenni has been in memories.  
  
Unlike most of my chapters, and the story itself, this chapter is dedicated. I'm dedicating it to my Granddad, who is never as bad as Morag's was.  
  
-  
  
Chapter Four: Memories  
  
-  
  
Professor Snape sat in his office.  
  
It was dark, the curtains pulled and the light blocked out. On his desk were the usual sorts of things you expect to see on a desk. A picture of his wife, a picture of his three children, ink, quills, and parchment, students work to be marked, all sorts of things.  
  
Professor Snape wasn't doing any work.  
  
He wasn't looking at the pictures of his family.  
  
He wasn't marking the students work.  
  
He wasn't planning a new lesson.  
  
He was remembering.  
  
Remembering how Morganna protected her owl – even though the silly old thing had already knocked her out of a tree (twisting her ankle) twice. Three times! Remembering how Morag used to try and stick her toes in his mouth when she was a baby, just to get a reaction. Remembering how Morag trusted her parents, in everything. How Morganna smiled, how Lily laughed. How it was all turned upside down with a few short words. How they put everything back together, coped – and then Morag discovered the truth.  
  
He clenched his fists, remembering the way that Jonathan O'Connell had seemed so calm, so in control, all the while, when he had wanted no more than to take out his wand and curse the prat to kingdom come. Remembering the way Morganna hadn't looked at him when she told Jenni about O'Connell. The way she'd said it. 'I was unhappy', as if she could possibly be happy then, after a run-in with O'Connell, followed by a guilt-ridden Severus.  
  
Morganna should have done as he told her – divorced him, taken Morag, gone to safety. Away from him. Safety – but away from him. Morganna had refused, point blank. She had decided that the only way she was going was if he could look her in the eye and tell her he didn't love her anymore. He had been unable. And she had refused to go. Bravery had never been Morganna Snape's strong point, but she was doing her best. Never letting Morag worry, always keeping track of Severus. She'd tried to be the perfect wife and mother, with this ideal of who that was in her head that she never let waver.  
  
Had he let her down? Would she have been safer if he had never married her in the first place?  
  
No. It was unlikely that the life her father had in mind for her was any safer, probably more dangerous. Because Morganna's father, Maxwell Montaque III, was a Death Eater. The Montaque family had money, pureblood, and pride. Montaque had come willingly, gladly even. Back then, using his influence in the French Ministry of Magic, Montaque had attempted to gain a foothold in France for his master, Voldemort. In the end, he was given the Dementor's Kiss for his efforts, but he remained loyal to Voldemort throughout. Only his daughter Lacrimosa ever supported him, but Luci and Morganna had – like their mother Delilah – always been good actresses. Gerad had simply avoided the family home. If Morganna had gone home at the end of her seventh year – home to her family in France – then it was doubtful she would be at all safe. Severus did not know it, but her father had been arranging a marriage for her for some time before Severus came into the picture. Even Morganna had not known until the summer before her sixth year. She had defied her father, and refused to marry Marc Remillard. Had she gone home, her father would have seen to it that she married Jonathan O'Connell, Morag's natural father. Illegitimate children were only all right for the men in the family, was Montaque's firm belief.  
  
-  
  
Morganna too, was remembering.  
  
How Lily was always there.  
  
How James had always been nice to her. She'd never understood Severus's dislike for him, or Remus, or Sirius.  
  
How she'd never let Severus blame himself.  
  
Remembering Gailyn Dorau, the prat who had been 'pursuing' Jenni. Decidedly unwelcome in his advances. How they'd gotten back at him for it, using the charms of the veela to make him fall in love with Morganna's sister, Lucia Montaque.  
  
Remembering how she'd never trusted the Divinations teacher who had mysteriously told her 'You will get your heart's desire – but it will come at a price'. How she'd finally understood the cryptic mystic's words at the end of her seventh year.  
  
How she'd forgiven her senile old owl anything and everything, unwilling to let go of the one person who still remembered her sister Gloria – the sister she never knew, who had so shaped her life.  
  
How that same owl – Gom – had let her down so many times. How he'd worked so hard to be worthy of her trust and affection. How he'd been the one who came and was near her when she was unhappy or upset, even back at home.  
  
How her mother never said goodbye. How, when Morganna had pressed her nose against the window of the muggle car (a limo-something), her mother hadn't even turned around to look at her. To watch her go. To do anything that suggested she cared.  
  
How her father never cared enough to say goodbye.  
  
How her aunt had forced her to be Morganna, after a lifetime of being 'Maria' or 'Anna'.  
  
How her cousins had ridiculed her for her 'silly name'. She'd told them it was traditional, and they'd laughed even harder.  
  
How she'd never told her mother that she'd miss her.  
  
How her father hadn't even given her a backwards glance when he gave her to Aunt Margolotta.  
  
Morganna remembered, and a single, solitary, tear rolled down her cheek.  
  
-  
  
Morag stood by the lake. Unshed tears shone in her eyes, and she was pale in the moonlight. Stars glittered on the surface of the opaque waters, and Morag finally did what she had been refusing to do for weeks.  
  
Morag Lillith Snape wept.  
  
But she wasn't as alone as she thought.  
  
Draco Malfoy was watching her. A few paces back, but in her misery she did not notice him.  
  
For some time, Morag had been putting her plan into action. She had to turn Draco away from his family, from Voldemort – but before she could even attempt that, she had to bring him to a place where he would never betray her.  
  
She had to make Draco fall in love with her.  
  
It was almost too much to bear – because she cared about him, with all her heart. And she would know that she had manipulated him.  
  
Draco, of course, knew nothing of her desperate plan. Morag had put her plan into action much earlier than she had intended – Thamala's presence made it a race against time. It was only so long until Miss Blake discovered what the Snape's labored so hard to keep concealed. And then all was lost.  
  
So, she had been setting little traps for Draco. A mysterious smile, wafts of french perfume. A flower in her hair to accent the blue of her eyes, lightly touching his arm in passing. She had even been tempted to resort to the charms her aunt had made sure she learnt. But she hadn't. Draco must love her – that was true. That she must manipulate his emotions to the extent she was – that, too, was true. But she wanted for his emotion to be as real as it could be.  
  
Like hers.  
  
-  
  
Draco stared at Morag for a long while.  
  
She was so beautiful, almost glowing in the moon's soft light. He knew she was crying – and he knew that she hated any sign of weakness, especially witnessed weakness. His heart fought with his head, and in the end, his heart one.  
  
Draco approached her.  
  
"Lilli." He said it softly. She went still, and then turned.  
  
It pained him to see the tears on her cheeks. He went to wipe them away, but Morag put up her hand to stop him. "What, Draco?"  
  
"You're crying." He said. 'That's right, Malfoy, repeat the obvious. Make yourself look stupid.' He cursed himself inwardly.  
  
Her blue eyes swirled to deepest gray and she stiffened. "What of it?"  
  
Without thinking, he enfolded her in his arms. Though she was taller than her mother, she was still so much shorter than he, and her tear-streaked face was pressed against his shoulder. Morag stiffened, and then relaxed.  
  
She hadn't been entirely surprised.  
  
-  
  
When Morag arrived (just before she would have been late) for Potions the next morning, Draco was saving her a seat – much to Pansy Parkinson's horror.  
  
Morag sat next to him without a word, feeling Harry's stare in her back. Knowing that Thamala was only a few seats away, watching everything she did.  
  
"Lilli," Draco started, but Morag held her finger to his lips.  
  
"Shh, tell me later." She whispered, motioning for Draco to turn his attention back to the professor.  
  
"Miss Snape? Do you have something to share?" Professor Snape asked mildly, looking at her.  
  
"No, professor." She tried to smile. Cosmetics covered the fact that she hadn't slept last night, cosmetics and lots of coffee at breakfast.  
  
"Good. Today our lesson is all theory – no practical." He continued. Neville Longbottom looked openly relieved. "You will be starting an essay on why we need both potions and spells, giving the pro's and con's of each, and will be looking especially at how we use these spells in defense."  
  
"Professor?" Hermione's hand shot up into the air.  
  
"Yes, Miss Granger?"  
  
"How long does the essay have to be?" she asked.  
  
"There is no set maximum or minimum, but I will not expect to see a single quill down before the end of the lesson." The professor replied calmly.  
  
There were a number of groans around the classroom, but Professor Snape ignored them.  
  
-  
  
Harry watched Morag.  
  
After a few minutes, Ron prodded him. "Are you just going to stare at the Snape girl all lesson?"  
  
Hermione chimed in, "Harry, you really must start your essay."  
  
"I am not staring at her, and I've already started." Harry told them.  
  
"You're staring." Ron said flatly.  
  
"And you've only put the title." Hermione was defiant. "Ron's right, too. You're staring at her. Right under her father's watchful eye. Malfoy's made it clear she's out of bounds, hasn't he? Think about something else."  
  
"Hermione!" Harry almost shouted it, but managed to keep quiet – Snape didn't like people shouting in class… "I am not day dreaming about Morag Snape. I do not stare at her. She just…knows things."  
  
"What things?" Ron interrupted.  
  
"Things about my family. About what happened back then. She's got her owl – who was there, who likes to talk. I have old photos. She has her parents, who were there. I have my parents friends." Harry replied.  
  
Hermione put a comforting hand on Harry's. "If it's that important to you…"  
  
Before Hermione could finish, Ron interrupted with: "If it's that important, we'll kidnap the owl and make him tell us all he knows!"  
  
Hermione and Harry tried not to fall about laughing.  
  
The spectacle they were making of themselves attracted Thamala Blake's attention. Her sharp eyes rested briefly on Hermione's. Hermione froze, and looked away. Nobody had ever stared down Thamala before, and they weren't starting now.  
  
Distracted by Morag's soft laugh, Thamala stared at Draco and Morag. Draco and Lilli, Thamala corrected herself in her thoughts. Morag wasn't Morag, she was Lilli to all.  
  
But was she what they all thought she was?  
  
Thamala thought she remembered something… 


	5. Thorn of the Rose

I don't own any of JK Rowling's stuff.  
  
Note to reader: I started this chapter the same night that I finished chapter four: Memories, and this is where the true colors start to shine, or so I hope. Thorn of the Rose is where I'm going to muddy the waters yet again. Meet Kieran O'Connell, the half brother Morag doesn't know about. Did I throw you a bit when Morag's parentage was announced in the first chapter? Or when Thamala Blake appeared on the scene? No? Damn. Ah well. I fully intend to make this chapter a bumpy ride for all involved.  
  
Thanks to: People who bother to read this! I love you all!  
  
Dedications: This is dedicated to my friend Cymon, the tiny pacifist bouncer (private joke, and it's not really that funny either).  
  
-  
  
Chapter Five: Thorn of the Rose  
  
-  
  
Thamala and Morag were in the library, studying for a history of magic test. Morag was distracted though – there was a ball to be held in honor of some esteemed guests. Minister of Magic, who'd finally been convinced of the danger Voldemort made, had come to discuss things with Dumbledore. So there was to be a banquet & ball in his honor, simply because the students needed something to look forward to.  
  
"Lilli, stop thinking about the ball." Thamala laughed. "Draco's going to take you, you'll be the 'belle of the ball' and the envy of all."  
  
"All?" Morag raised an eyebrow. "What about the Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs?"  
  
Thamala made with the mock-surprise. "They count?"  
  
Both girls laughed. Morag had slowly began to relax around Thamala, but still distrusted her – and wisely. Thamala did things only for herself, though they occasionally benefited others.  
  
-  
  
"Dream on Harry!" "Snape's own daughter?" "She'd date Crabbe or Goyle before you!"  
  
The words rolled around Harry's head as he finally admitted it. He was jealous of Malfoy, because Malfoy had Morag.  
  
Malfoy had Morag.  
  
Morag didn't want anything to do with him.  
  
She knew something.  
  
Her owl knew something.  
  
What?  
  
-  
  
Later that day, in the evening, Morag sat alone in the library. She was in the restricted section, with a special pass from Professor Snape. She was researching the Keeper of Secrets, something of an enigma in the magical world. Nobody quite agreed on what the Keeper of Secrets was – only that it was powerful, and that no one found out the secrets it guarded, ever.  
  
She had to find it.  
  
Find out what it was.  
  
How to use it.  
  
Fast.  
  
Morag was terrified by the prospect, but she steeled herself to the task at hand and kept reading.  
  
'Many believe that the Keeper of Secrets is not itself a spell, but something you Summon with a spell. World-renowned witch, Eleyne Everly, claims that the Keeper of Secrets is a magical creature – in the form of a lady in white or an angel perhaps. The Keeper of Secrets protects secrets and people alike, a guardian for those who need it most. One must be in dire straits before the Keeper will deign to come to you – and she is temperamental.' Morag read. She sighed, the more she read, the more she feared.  
  
What if the Keeper would not come?  
  
What if the books were wrong?  
  
What if she ran out of time?  
  
What about Thamala?  
  
-  
  
Hermione and Ron were playing Wizard Chess in the Gryffindor common room when Harry came up.  
  
"Harry!" Ron shouted, waving him over.  
  
Hermione smirked. "You just want out of me beating you at Wizard Chess."  
  
"You won't beat me!" Ron denied.  
  
"Maybe not today – but I'm getting better." Hermione grinned.  
  
Harry walked over, listening to the growing argument about Hermione's chess- playing abilities.  
  
"You look thoughtful." Hermione said to Harry, when she finally forgot what it was that she and Ron were arguing about in the first place.  
  
"Do I?" he responded, sitting down.  
  
"Yes, you do. This doesn't have anything to do with Lilli Snape, does it?" Hermione almost unconsciously called Morag what everyone did – Lilli.  
  
"Why would it?" he asked, guardedly.  
  
"Because you're constantly staring at her, thinking about her, talking to yourself about her when you think nobody's listening." Hermione replied promptly.  
  
"Hey!" Harry protested.  
  
"You're saying you don't?"  
  
"I'm saying…how do you know what I think about?"  
  
"But you aren't denying it." Hermione told him triumphantly. "I knew it was her. Lilli Snape, the darling of Slytherin. Draco Malfoy's taking her to the ball for Fudge." She watched his reaction. As expected, Harry's fists clenched involuntarily.  
  
"I knew it – it is her!"  
  
"Just don't tell anyone." Harry muttered. Ron had been distracted by Ginny, who wanted tips on Wizard Chess, and to tell Ron – blushing a bit – that she'd gotten herself a date to the ball. A Ravenclaw fourth year, Kieran O'Connell.  
  
Hermione nodded. "My lips are sealed, Harry. But be careful – you've seen what she's like. I've seen her lie, cheat, and steal with the barest glance."  
  
"I know. She's the 'thorn of the rose', isn't she?" Harry said wryly.  
  
"What?" Hermione seemed confused – and in any other circumstances, Harry might have enjoyed that.  
  
"Just something Morag said a while ago."  
  
-  
  
Thamala caught sight of someone in the hall, someone who looked so familiar…almost like…  
  
Morag.  
  
But it wasn't, it wasn't even a girl. It was a boy, and a dark haired one at that. She purposely bumped into him.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry." Her black eyes glittered. "I'm Thamala Blake."  
  
"Kieran O'Connell." He muttered, trying not to look at her eyes. "It's quite all right."  
  
Kieran was like Morag, she saw now. The way he held himself, walked, spoke. When he was more comfortable, it would probably be that long drawl that Morag used when she was in a more humorous mood. On impulse, Thamala asked, "Have you seen Lilli Snape around? I just can't find her anywhere."  
  
Kieran almost flinched. He knew Thamala was up to something, and his father had warned him that he had a half sister here somewhere, though he'd refused to specify. 'Her mother wouldn't like it', Mr. J O'Connell had said. Perhaps this Lilli was his half sister – he'd seen her around, it was like he knew her but he hadn't met her yet. "No, I'm afraid not." He answered Thamala.  
  
Thamala saw the look in Kieran's eyes. Something was going on at Hogwarts, and she was determined to find out what.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Note to reader: I know, it's probably not 'up to standard', whatever standard that may be. And this unfortunate habit of introducing new characters, confusing an already complicated plot, it's getting really annoying, isn't it? Sorry. I've just decided that perhaps the Snape family needs a little more tension, and the presence of Jonathan O'Connell's son – Morag's half brother – will definitely supply that. Fear not, I know what's going to happen in the end. Now, important question, I need you to tell me what you think:  
  
Harry is 'falling for' Morag. Should he act on it, and we'll have a big fight scene between him and Draco, or, should he suffer heroically in silence? Either way Draco has to win, otherwise certain things can't happen (sorry, can't tell you what), but would anyone like to see Harry kick some Malfoy-butt in the meantime?  
  
I have to admit, I'm partial to Draco and Harry having a punch-up (and I mean a punch-up, no wands. Lets give Harry the satisfaction of smacking Malfoy over a couple of times with his own two hands), and I've even got a chapter title just in case. 'Pride Goeth Before A Fall'. But, should popular opinion be against Harry and Draco smacking each other a few times, I…probably won't put up that chapter. Can't make any promises, I'm quite attached to the idea. 


	6. Pride Goeth Before A Fall

Nah, still don't own any of JK Rowling's stuff. Bugger, eh?  
  
Authors Note: I introduced Kieran O'Connell last chapter, and no, he's not really central to the plot. In fact, I could cut him out and it wouldn't affect a thing. He's just there to make the Snapes life even harder. Anyone who is going to complain about Draco/Morag will be beaten with a big stick. Okay, maybe not, but it's very tempting. Also, anyone who's going to complain about the good kicking Draco's about to get can just bugger on off, because I don't have to take this from you.  
  
Thanks to: All the authors of all the fanfics I've been reading lately. I read all the Hermione/Draco fics listed on Rouge Magie's lookyuppythingie, I've read several by Strega Brava (Hermione/Severus is definitely not something I'd've considered), I read Doodlez strangely-LotR-obssessed fics, I've read my own a couple of times, and I've been reading lots and lots of Hogwarts romances. I need help!  
  
Dedications: Dedicated to my sister, who just passed her karate grading whatnots. Also dedicated to my cat.  
  
-  
  
Chapter Six: Pride Goeth Before A Fall  
  
-  
  
If anyone was proud of himself, it was Draco Malfoy.  
  
His girlfriend was the prettiest, smartest, and most amazing girl he'd ever met.  
  
Morag Lillith Snape, his very own Lilli.  
  
And if anyone tried to take her away from him…  
  
Draco smiled to himself.  
  
-  
  
Harry had decided something.  
  
He was going to ask Lilli to the ball.  
  
Surely she could see he was better than Malfoy?  
  
Maybe he was bribing her or something.  
  
Harry smiled to himself.  
  
-  
  
Morag was sitting cross-legged on the grass by the lake. She absently watched people who passed her, and occasionally smiled.  
  
Then she saw someone who made her heart stop.  
  
She'd seen that face in pictures.  
  
Pictures her mother had tried to destroy.  
  
But this person was so much younger – it wasn't the same person from her mother's hated pictures.  
  
Was it his son?  
  
Yes, it had to be.  
  
Did he know? What she knew?  
  
Would he care?  
  
He was walking towards her.  
  
She pretended not to notice him, suddenly finding the lake fascinating.  
  
"Hello." It was that boy, the one with the face. He even sounded familiar, that lazy drawl that her mother had tried to imitate when Morag asked about her natural father.  
  
"Hello." She replied, proud that her voice didn't shake.  
  
"I'm Kieran O'Connell. You must be Lilli Snape." He sounded confident, calm, and collected as he sat down next to her. She was shocked to see that he behaved in ways so similar to herself. How dared he? She bit back the angry comments that sprang into her mind.  
  
"Yes, that's me. O'Connell?" she tried not to sound too interested. "I think I've heard that name before."  
  
"Perhaps you've heard of my father, Jonathan." He suggested, and made it sound like she should have. She frowned, but replied calmly.  
  
"Yes, I believe my mother has mentioned him from time to time." That wasn't strictly true – she mentioned him in a conversation about him that only took place because Morag's cousin had a big mouth.  
  
Kieran was curious. This girl did remind him of himself, in ways, and of his father. He had seen a woman so like her in pictures from a party his father went to years and years ago. The woman in the picture had been his father's date, Maria Montaque. He remembered wishing Maria was his mother, she seemed so lovely and kind. His own mother was anything but. Kathryn O'Connell didn't like children, didn't like her son, and didn't even like her husband that much anymore. "What did she say about him?" Kieran asked, genuinely curious. "Nice things?"  
  
Morag stiffened – Kieran saw it. "She said he was…" he could see her fishing for something to say, "she said he was good looking."  
  
That wasn't a lie, Morganna had admitted that.  
  
"I wouldn't know, I don't see father much." Kieran shrugged. He noticed Morag was watching him very carefully, as if testing him.  
  
"He knew my mother in her sixth year." She said finally. "Morganna Montaque. Maybe he's mentioned her to you."  
  
Kieran thought about it. "He's got a picture of he and a Maria Montaque." He offered.  
  
"That's mother. She used her middle name a lot." Morag told him. Kieran was surprised, that woman in the picture – only sixteen? She had looked so sophisticated, mature, kind and loving. She couldn't have been only sixteen! But she was. Kieran had the picture with him; he'd kept it. He used to daydream that she really was his mother, and that she, father, and he lived far away in Ireland, near his grandparents. That she always smiled and she never shouted at him.  
  
"She looked older than sixteen." Was all Kieran said.  
  
"I guess she did, I've seen pictures of her from then." Morag shrugged. "She's here, she works here from time to time, when Les chiffons aux Richesses isn't doing anything important."  
  
"Your mother works for Les chiffons aux Richesses?" he could well believe it. His own mother adored the clothes there, he could remember his father saying 'Kathryn, you should go and live in one of their shops, you evidently like it better than here!'  
  
"Works for it? She owns it, Kieran." Morag seemed amused.  
  
Kieran and Morag continued talking for a long while, both of them wondering if the other knew something.  
  
-  
  
The next Saturday, Draco and Morag went to Honeydukes. Harry walked up to the pair as they came out, carrying parcels.  
  
"Morag, can I ask you a question?" he started.  
  
Morag said, with a hint of the humor she'd displayed once before, "You can ask me another question."  
  
Draco didn't seem worried – Potter, competition? Dream on.  
  
"Would you go to the ball with me?" he blurted out.  
  
Morag didn't answer, and before she could, Draco pushed Harry back.  
  
"That's my girlfriend, Potter, you leave her alone!" he said angrily.  
  
"You don't own her! Maybe she doesn't want to go to the ball with a git like you!" Harry shouted back. Morag looked worried, and she backed away from the pair. People were beginning to watch.  
  
"Muggle-lover!"  
  
"Predjudiced prat!"  
  
Nobody was sure who struck the first blow, Harry or Draco. But soon the two of them were fighting, fists flying and insults hurled, amid Morag's cries for them to stop it.  
  
Hermione and Ron dashed up, and Hermione glared at Morag, blaming her. Ron was too busy cheering Harry on.  
  
Morag shrank back from Hermione's angry gaze, but couldn't leave – not with Draco and Harry doing their best to beat each other into the ground.  
  
((Authors Note: As requested by a fellow Role Player, Lance Delta's cameo appearance.))  
  
Draco looked up long enough to see Lance Delta, an American exchange student, give him the finger and then kick him in the head.  
  
It might just have been that blow to the head that tipped the scales in Harry's favor, because Draco was promptly pummeled within an inch of his life, and Harry emerged victorious.  
  
But if he thought that he had won Morag, he could think again.  
  
She gave a low cry, and fell to her knees beside Draco, placing his head gently in her lap. "Are you all right? I have to get you to Madam Pomfrey!"  
  
Harry looked as though the ground had just been yanked out from under him, and it was clear to all there that this was not the reaction he'd been hoping for. Hermione glared at Morag again, but Ron was congratulating Harry on giving Draco the worst/best (depends on your opinion, I suppose) kicking he'd ever received.  
  
It didn't make Harry feel any better.  
  
-  
  
"Forget about her, Harry." Hermione advised. "She's trouble, can't you see that? You've got detention for just about your entire life now! McGonagall went through the roof!"  
  
"Yeah, I know." Harry muttered. He still couldn't stop thinking about the way Morag had looked.  
  
"Come on, concentrate. We've got Potions tomorrow, you want her father breathing down your neck for not doing your homework, after you've just beaten his daughter's boyfriend to a pulp?"  
  
Harry had to admit that Hermione had a very good point.  
  
-  
  
As they say, Pride Goeth Before A Fall.  
  
-  
  
Authors Note: I know, the chapters after the first have been significantly shorter, and this is no exception. All those people who can't stand the idea of Harry nursing a broken heart, tough. Didn't I just let him beat Draco 'to within an inch of his life'? Will nothing please you people? Any complaints, I don't want to hear them – whether they're for or against Draco. Harry gets the glory, Draco gets the girl. That's just how it has to be right now. And if any Draco-fans are angry at his being publicly humiliated, I don't care. I personally like Draco, but come on, you have to admit, the prat had it coming.  
  
Anyone who was wondering, Lance Delta is the character of someone I role played with about half an hour before I wrote this chapter. I got him to read my story (I don't know how much he read, but at least the first chapter because he said that the first chapter was good), and he asked if Lance could make a cameo appearance in the Draco/Harry Fight Scene, giving Draco the finger or something. The kick in the head was my idea. Trust me to come up with something like that.  
  
Thank you to anyone who bothered to read this, thank you so much! And to anyone who likes this, have a look at the short story, 'One Old Owl' (by me). It's from the point of view of Montgomery J Montaque, Morag's owl, and it's him remembering things. Tells you a bit about Morganna, back before she married Snape, and after, tells about her sister Gloria, who is dead, and tells you a bit about Morag herself. Gom darling maintains that Jonathan O'Connell 'was a prat then, and is a prat now'. Unfortunately, no reference to Gom's belief that 'Squirrels are devil-worshippers and they're all out to get me! Not only that, but House Elves are spies for the Ministry of Magic, and Severus Snape is a murderous old heathen.' Some things are better left unsaid. Hey, wait, I just said them then! Oops. Again, a bazillion thank-you's to anyone who bothered reading this, I appreciate it. Please review, I need the input. 


	7. Don't Stop Dancing

Authors Note: My dreadful habit of plot-thickeners (a phrase that popped into my head right after 'and so the plot thickens') is going to – for now anyway – come to an end. No, Lance will not be making any more appearances (to the best of my knowledge); it was a one off. Anyone wanting similar 'cameo appearances' may request that in a review, I'll do my best.  
  
Thanks to: Erin, my best friend, for listening while I babble about this. Also, my first reviewer.  
  
Dedicated to: My cat, who always (well not right now, bugger the little traitor) keeps me company by the computer. My sister, Janice, and my other sister, Sorcha. To Janice for keeping in touch and being a great long- distance-sibling, and to Sorcha because she'll be nice to me for ages if she finds out I dedicated something to her.  
  
-  
  
Chapter Seven: Don't Stop Dancing  
  
-  
  
Morag had just finished getting ready for the ball. Her robes were a Les chiffons aux Richesses design that hadn't yet been released. A blue that almost sparkled, 100% pure silk. The floaty material clung, and Morag's jewelry consisted of her mother's pearl & diamond choker, with matching earrings and bracelet. She hoped that she would still look good next to Thamala's blood red and ruby finery.  
  
She fixed the last braid carefully around her head, creating a pearl-dotted crown of silvery hair, and looked up, as there came a knock at the door.  
  
"Lillie!" it was Thamala. She was going with a seventh year Slytherin, Lucas Morraine. "Lilli, Draco and Lucas are waiting. Are you ready?"  
  
Adding a little color to her alabaster white cheeks, Morag opened the door. "Coming," she replied, picking up her white fur wrap.  
  
Thamala looked her over. "Very nice," she approved, and led the way down to Draco and Lucas.  
  
Draco's only sign of Harry's attack was that he winced occasionally, but other than that, he looked fine. Offering his arm to Morag, she and he led the group down to the ball.  
  
-  
  
Already there were Hermione, Ron and Harry.  
  
Ron and Hermione came together, mostly because Harry made Ron ask her. Hermione looked marvelous, and Ron clearly had new dress robes, good ones.  
  
"Harry," Hermione murmured warningly as Draco walked past with his arm around Morag's waist. Harry clenched his fists, silent.  
  
Ginny was concerned. "What is it, Harry?"  
  
He fought to regain his calm. "Nothing. That Malfoy git just rubs me the wrong way."  
  
Kieran, standing by Ginny, said nothing. He'd written to his father about Morag – Lilli – and the truth came out. The thought of Malfoy near his sister angered him.  
  
Harry saw the look in Kieran's eyes – but he knew Kieran liked Ginny. What was going on?  
  
When Kieran moved away to get Ginny a drink, Harry followed.  
  
"What made you look at Morag?" he asked quietly.  
  
"She's my sister." Kieran blurted.  
  
-  
  
It took Harry a while to analyze that.  
  
-  
  
Draco led Morag out onto the dance floor, avoiding the jealous gaze of Pansy, who – because of her lack of options – had come with Goyle. If she hoped to make Draco jealous, she could think again.  
  
Morag rested her chin on Draco's shoulder and watched the other dancers. Thamala danced effortlessly with Lucas Morraine, Ron was trying not to stand on Hermione's toes and – no! She wasn't going to look at Harry, or Kieran. A tight knot of guilt surged up, but nobody could see how she felt.  
  
-  
  
Kieran was watching her, his sister. He couldn't help but be jealous of some things – her lovely, kind mother, and the fact that nobody looked on her as second rate, or worthless. The way his mother did.  
  
She'd noticed him.  
  
She was looking back at him.  
  
She knew.  
  
-  
  
Harry watched Morag and Draco, jealousy boiling away. Morag laughed as Draco twirled her across the floor, and spun her into his arms. Hermione came to stand next to Harry.  
  
"I don't think Professor Dumbledore will like it much if you and Malfoy brawl in here." She said, once again going straight to the point.  
  
"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed quietly.  
  
"I mean it. You know she's his girlfriend. You also know why she's doing what she's doing – remember? You told me about it and got me to tell her you knew. She has about as much choice in this as you do, no matter what her personal feelings are on the matter. But you might want to find out what those personal feelings are."  
  
Hermione was right, as she so often – always – was.  
  
-  
  
Draco had gone to get drinks, and Morag sat at their table, pondering her research. She knew she could summon the Keeper now – why didn't she?  
  
Fear.  
  
She was afraid that it wouldn't work, that the spell would backfire. Not unreasonable worries, either, there were graphic descriptions of what had happened when this most powerful spell had backfired.  
  
Fear – forget fear. Stark terror.  
  
She was jolted out of her reverie as Draco tapped her on the shoulder.  
  
"Lilli? Here's your drink." He offered her a glass.  
  
"Thank you, Draco." She replied, taking the glass with a weak smile.  
  
He sat down across from her, trying not to let it be so obvious that he couldn't keep his eyes off her. She sipped idly at the butterbeer, lost once more in the haze of her thoughts.  
  
Thamala and Lucas came and sat down next to them.  
  
"Lucas is a simply marvelous dancer, Lilli." Thamala lowered her lashes in a flirtatious way at Lucas, who put his hand possessively over hers. "I have to thank you for introducing us."  
  
"Oh, it was a pleasure." Morag said dismissively. It was true – introducing him to Thamala meant he left her alone. Which was most certainly a good thing, she found him both boring and irritating.  
  
"Well, thank you anyway." Thamala watched Morag the way a predator watches its prey. Morag felt it considerably disconcerting.  
  
"Lucas, you haven't said much." Draco turned to him.  
  
"Bemused by these two lovely ladies, Malfoy." Lucas replied, flashing the girls a charming smile.  
  
Morag stifled a laugh. Lucas reminded her of her father – her 'natural' father, whom she'd been told so much of recently. Lucas seemed to fit the description just as well as Jonathan O'Connell did. 'A charming prat, who's nothing but talk', Gom had told her. 'Untrustworthy and irritating', he'd added.  
  
Draco gave her a quizzical look, but didn't ask. Morag was relieved.  
  
-  
  
Thamala smiled to herself.  
  
It hadn't taken that stupid owl long to give in and tell her what she wanted to know.  
  
Snape had betrayed Voldemort.  
  
The idea filled her with 'righteous' indignation; he had betrayed their master! Thamala, you may have guessed, was a Death Eater. A very…enthusiastic Death Eater.  
  
She wasn't going to let him get away with it. She had told Voldemort – and helpfully provided her master with a way into Hogwarts. It was really quite simple, and it cut across protective barriers as though they weren't there.  
  
She invited him. Formally.  
  
She'd laughed at the simplicity of it. What it boils down to is that the protective spells and barriers are there for people and beings that are not supposed to be there. She invited him; he was supposed to be there.  
  
She knew that she would be rewarded for such loyal work. A pleasant thought. Perhaps, when he ruled the world, she mused; he might give her a little country, or perhaps just a province. Or maybe just Morag. She'd like to torture Snape's daughter, the girl who had been so steadily working to bring Draco over to her side.  
  
Thamala had also found out what Morag was doing in the library at all hours of the night, what she was researching. The Keeper of Secrets. An ancient and infinitely powerful being, she knew, the Keeper could protect and hide anything. Its power could also be channeled, but the Keeper was a notoriously temperamental creature. She hoped that Morag would be able to succeed – because like it or not, Morag Lillith Snape was going to summon the Keeper and have it do Voldemort's bidding.  
  
Tonight, a lot was going to happen.  
  
-  
  
Kieran couldn't shake the feeling that someone was up to something, and that he wasn't going to like whatever it was. The feeling that they were all in grave danger, and they didn't even know it.  
  
"Kieran?" Ginny looked at him with concern in her eyes. "What's the matter? You're so quiet."  
  
"I'm fine, Ginny." He attempted a smile for her sake. "Nothing's the matter. Would you like to dance?" smoothly, Kieran distracted her from inquiring any further, and slipped one arm around her waist, leading her out to dance.  
  
Ginny wasn't going to be put off so easily. "Something's bothering you." She insisted. "You can tell me, Kieran, please?"  
  
"It's nothing." He replied, wishing she weren't so observant.  
  
"If you say so. But if you want to tell me," she left it hanging in the air.  
  
"If I want to talk to you, I will." He had won; he could afford to be gracious about it.  
  
-  
  
"Severus, try not to look so like a storm cloud."  
  
Morganna's merry soprano could be heard at the top table. For a moment, you could have heard a pin drop.  
  
Then Professor Snape let out a long sigh, and nodded. "I'm sorry, Morganna. I'm paranoid, I admit it."  
  
"Come and dance with me," she held out her hand, "and if you don't smile, you're going to frighten the first years."  
  
"Yes, dear." He took her hand and led her out to the dance floor. She wasn't as calm, or carefree, as she would have him believe, though. Severus, Kieran, and Morag were not the only ones worrying. Morganna was similarly fretful; she was just better at hiding it.  
  
"Professor Snape," it was Morag's cousin, Elysoun. She wasn't the most popular girl with the Snapes lately, but she felt she had to do this. "Professor Snape, Montgomery's harassing squirrels by the lake."  
  
Snape swore, and let go of his wife. "When I get my hands on that damned owl," he said grimly, walking out the door.  
  
Morganna sighed and followed quickly – Montgomery wasn't the best owl, but she'd rather that he wasn't beaten to death.  
  
-  
  
"Thank goodness for Polyjuice potion."  
  
-  
  
Elysoun Montaque, as a matter of fact, was lying unconscious in the girl's bathroom.  
  
-  
  
There was an explosion. Where there once was a wall, there was now a gaping hole. Having been sitting so close, Morag and Draco were flung back. Morag hit a wall, and collapsed unconscious onto a table. Draco went sliding along the floor and was knocked out by a falling picture.  
  
There were screams, as Voldemort's stood silhouetted by the full moon.  
  
Snape rushed back into the Hall as he realized that it had been a ruse – Montgomery was no where to be seen, and then there was the explosion…  
  
Voldemort advanced on Morag, who was bleeding a little from a cut in her forehead.  
  
Snape darted in front of him, intent on protecting his daughter. So many had died – he didn't want Morag to be just another casualty of war.  
  
Almost negligently, Voldemort said "Crucio."  
  
Morganna screamed and would have flung herself at Voldemort had she not been restrained by several Death Eaters' – Lucius Malfoy had evidently gotten over his irrational fear of her. She hadn't set fire to his robes since graduation.  
  
Snape writhed in agony, in a crumpled heap on the floor.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione stood aghast, and Dumbledore's eyes flashed. "Voldemort." He said the name quietly. "Tom Riddle."  
  
"What are you going to do to me, Albus?" Voldemort taunted, as two of his Death Eaters' picked up Morag's limp form and Snape fell into that black night of unconsciousness. "I have hostages now, little Morag Snape and the good professor's wife." He put emphasis on 'good'. "If you, or anyone here, comes any closer without permission, Severus can kiss his family goodbye."  
  
Morganna wept, tears of misery and resignation, and of fear for her daughter. She wasn't afraid for herself, she had cast her lot with Severus Snape years ago, knowing the circumstances, and she had thought to herself 'Come what may', but her daughter had been given no such choice. She feared for Morag, so young and full of promise.  
  
Dumbledore looked calm as he responded. "Tom, threatening those weaker than yourself? Are you so insecure?"  
  
That seemed to enrage the Dark Lord. "Malfoy," he said sharply.  
  
Lucius nodded, and Morganna was suddenly in the blissful ignorance and surrender of the Imperio curse. Why should she argue? There was no reason to it. She would do exactly what they told her to do. There were no other options. She couldn't avoid doing what they said.  
  
Harry still watched, but knew that Voldemort wouldn't hesitate to kill Morag or her mother. Hermione and Ron stood either side of him. "Harry," Hermione whispered, "I think he needs Morag. Look at him, he didn't come here just to have her killed for her father's 'treachery', or he would have killed her already. He wants something."  
  
"You're right, Miss Granger." It was Thamala Blake, the most evil of evils. "She can summon the Keeper of Secrets. If she's as powerful as my master believes, she'll be able to control it as well."  
  
Hermione gasped, but Harry and Ron merely looked confused.  
  
"Don't you two read anything?" Hermione stomped her foot impatiently. "The Keeper of Secrets is a powerful being – and though a lot of the writing of it is ambiguous, what we can work out is that it is a creature, not a spell. It's infinitely powerful and if Morag can control it…in Voldemort's hands…"  
  
"Very astute, Granger." Thamala said conversationally. "Imagine what Voldemort could do with your clever little mind,"  
  
Hermione recoiled as if she'd been struck, and Ron and Harry were similarly revolted. Not only by Thamala's insinuation, but because they'd just realized what Voldemort could do with the power that Morag represented.  
  
Severus Snape gave a howl of rage, terror, and misery as Voldemort and his followers vanished into the night, taking with them his family.  
  
-  
  
Voldemort laughed.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Authors Note: Hope this meets with approval. Had to rush to get it finished, but it did take longer than all the other chapters. (Except for Chapter 1, which took several weeks, and then I had to go back and tidy it up) Most of the other chapters were finished in a day or so, but I put some more effort into this one. It's not as 'cliff-hangery' as I wanted, but it'll do. Yes, I've planned out what's happening next. No, I'm not telling. You'll just have to wait for chapter 8, won't you? 


	8. Beauty and the Beast

Author's Note: Well, why I chose this title for this chapter should be fairly obvious. (If it isn't, then here's explanation: Beauty and the Beast, Morag's beautiful, Voldemort's pretty damn ugly. Beastly.) I think the story might be moving a bit fast, and I have missed out a few things (mostly relating to Morganna Snape's family), but they weren't really important, just things to make the story longer. I'm planning to use them in a different plot, set in France in the summer. Won't be starting that until I've completed this though.  
  
Thanks to: Neshomeh, for reviewing my story and for liking it. To muggle(some numbers I can't remember which), for being my first reviewer.  
  
Dedicated to: Everyone I've ever role-played Hogwarts with.  
  
-  
  
Chapter Eight: Beauty and the Beast  
  
-  
  
Morganna was in that blissful ignorance and blind obedience of the Imperio curse, but Morag was coerced with other means – no one under the Imperio curse can summon the Keeper, an ancient defense mechanism.  
  
So Morag watched her mother do exactly as she was told, walk where she was told, sit down, stand up. Occasionally Lucius Malfoy would poke her, just because he could. (Years ago, Severus had said to Malfoy 'Touch her and die'. Malfoy was the petty sort who would go and poke her and say something like 'I'm still alive').  
  
Frightened of what would happen to her if she rebelled, Morag did as she was told as well, in the hopes that perhaps they'd last longer if she didn't anger anyone.  
  
She had been afraid of what might happen if she summoned the Keeper.  
  
Now she was afraid of what would happen if she didn't.  
  
-  
  
Harry watched as Professor Snape paced, and Dumbledore attempted to calm the distraught professor. Hermione approached the professors.  
  
"Professors?" she asked hesitantly. "May I say something? I think it's important."  
  
"Go ahead, Miss Granger." Dumbledore said, giving Snape a warning look.  
  
"It was Thamala." She blurted. "Thamala Blake. She was the one who told Voldemort that Morag could summon the Keeper of Secrets. And we think she knew about something else as well…" Hermione faltered, unsure of whether or not they were right. Harry, Ron, and she believed that Snape was a spy among the Death Eaters, and everything they'd seen and heard validated that. But what if they were wrong?  
  
"Go on, Miss Granger." Snape said as levelly as he could. "What did Miss Blake know?"  
  
"Well, we thought you might be a spy in the Death Eaters, and we know Thamala is one, or her family, or whatever, and that Voldemort had to have found that out, otherwise wouldn't he just have you get Morag to summon the Keeper, rather than go to all this trouble? So we thought that Thamala must have found that out and told Voldemort." It all came out rather fast, and Hermione was fairly flustered by the time she'd finished.  
  
Snape looked thunderstruck. "How did you know?" he managed.  
  
"You mean we're right? Well, actually Harry worked it out. Morag was really nice to us in Diagon Alley – where there was nobody around to see. But when we got back to Hogwarts – surrounded by children of the Death Eaters – she acted like we were lower than dirt. There had to be a reason. And we'd already had our suspicions." Hermione looked proud that they'd been correct. Harry and Ron were still a bit thunderstruck themselves.  
  
"Miss Granger, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, go to my office and wait for me there." Dumbledore instructed. "Severus, go with them."  
  
Startled, they all complied. Harry glanced at Professor Snape every now and again, to see the professor looking a whole lot like death warmed up.  
  
-  
  
Draco sat up in the Hospital Wing. He'd been taken with the other injured students, and now he was frantic. Where was Morag?  
  
"Madam Pomfrey," he asked, "where is Morag?"  
  
The mediwitch sighed and her eyes softened. "You wouldn't know, would you? Poor dear."  
  
"What wouldn't I know?" he demanded impatiently, not liking the sound of that.  
  
"Morag and her mother were taken by You-Know-Who." Madam Pomfrey told him with another sigh. "From what I hear, she hit a wall and fell onto a table. Professor Snape tried to protect her, but You-Know-Who used the Cruciatus curse and that poor man went down. You-Know-Who took Morag and Mrs. Snape."  
  
Draco couldn't believe what he was hearing. Morag – taken? Impossible! She…her father was a Death Eater! Wasn't he…? "That's impossible." He said flatly.  
  
"I'm afraid it isn't. Now, you get some rest. I'll check on you later." And Madam Pomfrey went off to see to the other students.  
  
Thamala Blake walked in, looking smug. "It was your father that carried off Mrs. Snape, you know. Didn't you know? The Snapes were traitors. The 'good' professor was a spy, and his family was in on the ruse. Morag was just trying to get close to you to bring you over to their side. You were manipulated, Malfoy."  
  
He shook his head, not believing this either. "She wouldn't do that. Not to me."  
  
"She would and she did. It didn't take long to convince her stupid owl to tell me what I wanted to know. They were spies all along, and she was using you. She never cared about you, Draco. She just needed to get close to you, so that you'd betray your family. The way she and her family betrayed the Dark Lord. I will be rewarded for my loyalty, and you will be punished for your blindness." Thamala sneered. "She has the power our master needs, you know. She can summon and most likely control the Keeper of Secrets. Maybe she will prove useful."  
  
"You are lying." Draco accused angrily.  
  
"No, I'm not. You heard what Madam Pomfrey said – now it makes sense, doesn't it?" she taunted. "I'll be surprised if Lord Voldemort trusts you with anything after this." Thamala walked out, laughing nastily.  
  
Draco was left to consider where his loyalties lay.  
  
-  
  
"Stand up." It was Lucius Malfoy. Morag struggled to her feet, and Morganna rose as if on strings. "Lord Voldemort wishes to see you."  
  
Morag tried to keep the fear out of her eyes, her face, and her demeanor. She followed Malfoy, as did Morganna. Voldemort was the last person – thing! – she wanted to see.  
  
They stopped in front of a door, and she was startled by his voice on the inside. "Bring them in."  
  
"Yes, master." Malfoy pulled open the door and thrust them in. He made to follow.  
  
"Just them, Malfoy. Go." Voldemort instructed.  
  
"Yes, master." Malfoy didn't seem pleased with this turn of events, but he did as he was bid.  
  
"You are Morag Snape?" Voldemort stood in front of the fire, watching her. "The clever little Slytherin who manipulated Draco Malfoy, mastered the summoning of the Keeper, kept her father's secrets, and her family mysteries. What else do you do?"  
  
Morag stayed determinedly silent. She wasn't going to say a word to this lord of evil, she wanted to go home and forget this ever happened.  
  
"Strong and silent, are we? You will do as I command, Miss Snape." Voldemort's voice hardened. "Or I will kill your mother."  
  
"I could summon the Keeper and have it kill you." Morag retorted.  
  
"We've thought of that, Miss Snape. Morganna, my dear, pick up that knife." He commanded. Morganna did as she was bid, holding up what appeared to be a sacrificial blade. "Point it at your heart."  
  
Morag gasped as Morganna held the knife unwaveringly pointed at her heart.  
  
"If you attempt to harm me or my Death Eaters in any way, Miss Snape, your mother will kill herself. Do we understand each other?"  
  
"I believe so." She managed after a few moments. "What do you wish me to do?"  
  
"You will summon the Keeper. You will command it, and I will command you. With your power, I will rule the world. In time, you and your Keeper will no longer be necessary." Voldemort told her, almost conversationally.  
  
"The Keeper might not obey me." Morag pointed out.  
  
"You are a very powerful little witch. It will."  
  
"It might not."  
  
"It will." His tone showed he would brook no argument.  
  
She fell silent, feeling the hopelessness of her situation.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
Author's Note: It's short, I know. But it does what I want it to. I'm going to take my time on chapter nine, I'm still working the kinks out of the story. 


	9. A Question of Loyalties

Authors note: A ray of hope. I put off working on this chapter for a couple of days, because I wasn't sure what to do with it. (Still not sure…don't tell!) But since I just got kicked off the Internet, and since I've got nothing better (or worse) to do, here goes nothing! I'm also going to try and inject a bit of humor into this chapter. All in very bad taste, I'm sure, but I've just taken a look at a couple of lines I wrote (after reading a really hilarious fanfic…) and realized that I'm going to have to admit it, they were feeble jokes in the worst of taste.  
  
Thanks to: neshomeh, for reviewing my story. Sorry about not being able to bring Este or Jenni really into this story, but they can be in my next story – which slots onto the end of this one – 'A Summer of Secrets'. I can't give away too much about SoS, because it might give away stuff about how this ends. That and I've only just started the damn thing anyway. I can tell you that it's a first person POV story, though.  
  
Dedicated to: forget the damn cat. I'm dedicating this to my siblings, Janice, Sorcha, and Tyler. And to Dad, wherever the hell he is. Yay for family.  
  
-  
  
Chapter Nine: A Question of Loyalty  
  
-  
  
Draco had been let out of the Hospital Wing, and he had gone straight to Dumbledore's office  
  
"Mr. Malfoy." Dumbledore greeted him.  
  
"Is it true?" Draco blurted.  
  
"I am assuming that you are referring to the situation with Miss Snape? Yes, Mr. Malfoy, it is true. For the most part – I suspect Miss Blake was not entirely honest with you."  
  
"How did you know it was her who told me?" he looked puzzled.  
  
"Who else would?" Dumbledore replied cryptically. Or perhaps it's not that cryptic.  
  
"I suppose you're right, Professor." Draco shrugged. "She said…she said Morag was manipulating me. That she never even liked me." He didn't know why he was telling Dumbledore this, but telling someone – anyone – seemed to help.  
  
"The first part, I am afraid, is true. The second, only Morag knows for sure." Dumbledore was about to continue, when Professor Snape burst in.  
  
"Why isn't anyone doing anything?" he demanded. "Everyone's just, sitting around! My family is in the hands of a powerful madman, and nobody even moves!"  
  
"Calm down, Severus." Dumbledore said patiently. "We are working to find a plan. Miss Blake has been confined, as have the other children of the Death Eaters. She will tell us what we need to know. You have the Veritaserum, I trust?"  
  
"Yes." Snape muttered, pacing. "I hate this – this waiting! The thought of…of…" he faltered, not knowing how to say what it was he felt.  
  
"Go and get the Veritaserum. Bring it here, and then go and lie down." The aging professor instructed.  
  
"I want to be there when you question her." Snape insisted.  
  
"You need—" Dumbledore stopped. "All right. But now, get the Veritaserum."  
  
Snape nodded curtly and turned on his heel.  
  
Draco watched him go, then resumed his conversation with Dumbledore.  
  
-  
  
Kieran was shocked.  
  
He sat in the Gryffindor Common Room with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny. He'd told them all about how Morag was his half-sister – glossing over most of the details, since he wasn't altogether sure himself – and how he'd only found out this week. Hermione had thought it odd that she went into Slytherin and he in Gryffindor – all the Weasleys were in the same house, weren't they?  
  
Harry pointed out that Kieran and Morag were only half-siblings, and that Morag had been brought up with Slytherin parents.  
  
Hermione argued that Kieran's parents were Slytherin too. It was true; Jonathan and Kathryn had been Slytherin.  
  
Kieran stopped listening about then.  
  
Ron and Ginny hadn't said a word the entire time – Ginny had held Kieran's hand, while Ron just sat next to Hermione, looking astounded.  
  
"Kieran?" it was Hermione. He wondered absently who won the argument. Probably Hermione, he decided.  
  
"Yes?" he felt like he was in a daydream. No – a nightmare. That's right Kieran, he thought to himself, any moment now, you're going to wake up, and Morag will be laughing at you for falling asleep at the ball.  
  
"Kieran, are you all right?" Hermione bit her lip as she realized what an incredibly stupid question that was. Voldemort had just kidnapped his sister, to be used as a tool to rule the world, and she asked him if he was all right? Was she high?  
  
"I'm fine, Mione." He attempted a smile, but it really wasn't working. He gave up.  
  
"Okay, but if you aren't…" she hesitated.  
  
"I'll let you know." He assured her. It was odd, he thought, that he was so readily accepted into their circle. He knew Ginny better than the rest of them, but making friends hadn't exactly been difficult.  
  
-  
  
**Morag's POV**  
  
Urgh.  
  
Voldemort was the singularly most disgusting thing I'd ever seen.  
  
I was scared, of course I was scared, but I was also revolted and left wondering if he'd fallen down the Ugly Tree and hit every damn branch.  
  
The thought made me laugh.  
  
A mistake.  
  
"Miss Snape, do you find your situation amusing?" Voldemort asked me. I shuddered, and shook my heard.  
  
"No." I very pointedly didn't add 'sir', 'master', or even 'Lord Voldemort'. My opinion of the 'Dark Lord' was decidedly low, no matter what power he had. Probably not very smart, but I couldn't help it.  
  
"I can, if you wish, demonstrate the seriousness of your situation. Your mother doesn't really need all her fingers, does she?"  
  
That woke me up. No matter what I thought of him, he was powerful, and my mother and myself were in his power. Not a time to be poking fun at him. I fought to regain my composure as it struck me how very unlikely it was that anyone would be able to rescue us. How, exactly, were they to find us? Or get past all the Death Eaters? And then find specifically where we were? And get to us before Voldemort had Mother plunge that dagger into her heart?  
  
I shuddered again as the world tumbled down around my ears.  
  
I had no choice.  
  
I would summon the Keeper of Secrets.  
  
I would command it, and Voldemort would command me.  
  
My eyes filled with tears that I dared not shed.  
  
-  
  
**Back to third person**  
  
A tiny part of Morganna's mind was still her own, and it screamed at her. Memories floated by…  
  
**flashback**  
  
Morganna wasn't at the Slytherin table at dinner. She sat instead with Lily and James at the Gryffindor table. Lily was her closest friend, and James had always been kind to her.  
  
She wanted to go back to France, escape having to see Severus every day. But her father had denied her request, and Lily talked her out of sending a second one.  
  
She wished that she could hate Severus, but it was like wishing that the sky would turn purple. He was engaged! How could she have missed that rather important fact? She berated herself for her idiocy – why would he even look twice at her, anyway?  
  
Lily looked at her friend concerned. "James and I are going to go for a walk, do you want to come?"  
  
"No, no, you go ahead. I'd just be in the way." Morganna faked a bright smile.  
  
"Are you sure you'll be okay?" Lily hesitated.  
  
"Yes, I'm sure. Go on, enjoy your walk." Morganna insisted.  
  
James paused as he and Lily went to walk away. "Do you still love him?" there was no question about who he was referring to.  
  
"No." Morganna said firmly. If she repeated it often enough, she might just fool herself into believing it, too.  
  
It was fairly obvious James didn't believe it any more than she did, but he shrugged and walked away.  
  
A tall Slytherin man, one she hadn't paid much attention to, but now realized was quite attractive in a suave sort of way, approached her.  
  
"Would you like to go for a walk?" he asked, before introducing himself. "I'm Jonathan, Jonathan O'Connell."  
  
She beamed at him. "I'd love to. Maria Montaque."  
  
**end of flashback**  
  
Now, of course, Morganna had mixed feelings about what happened with O'Connell. She had Morag, and she wouldn't give her up for the world. But O'Connell had turned her world upside down, and then walked out of it. And now, that tiny part of her brain screamed, if she didn't wake up, she and her daughter would both be yesterday's news, and she'd never see her husband again.  
  
-  
  
**Back at Hogwarts**  
  
"Miss Blake, what is your master planning?"  
  
They'd given her the Veritaserum, and she'd answered all their questions – lacing her answers with insults and sneers. Dumbledore had ignored that, but it had ignited Professor Snape's already smoldering temper.  
  
"Voldemort intends to use Morag's power to take over the world, destroy the muggles first, then the mudbloods, then the muggle-lovers. He will place the purebloods in their rightful place, as the only people in our world. Hogwarts will be the first institution to be destroyed or revamped. You foolish muggle-lovers will be put to death or tortured – both! And the pureblood students who resist will die with their mudblood friends." Thamala laughed. She wasn't insane, just evil. "With the Keeper of Secrets at his command – or rather, at Morag's, who is at his – he will be unstoppable. Run while you still can, but it won't get you anywhere."  
  
Dumbledore wisely confiscated Severus's wand.  
  
-  
  
"What, exactly, do you think you're going to do?"  
  
Hermione was exasperated. Harry wanted to do something – anything – and she felt that there really wasn't anything he could do.  
  
"I've defeated Voldemort before." He argued.  
  
"Yes, and this time he has the Keeper of Secrets, something you can barely comprehend, let alone fight – and fighting it is not an option, Harry – and he has hostages. You think he's going to hand over the Snapes just because you ask?" Hermione's voice showed her utter scorn and derision for his ill- advised plan – or rather, lack thereof.  
  
Harry glared at her. Mostly because she was right, and he knew it.  
  
"Harry, Hermione, quit it." Ron said irritably. "Harry – Hermione is right, so shut up and go talk to Dumbledore or something. Hermione, I understand what you're saying, but please, couldn't you be a little gentler?"  
  
Harry and Hermione glowered at one another, but both nodded shortly, acceding that Ron was right.  
  
"Good." Ron clapped his hands together. "Now, why don't we all go and talk to a professor about something to distract Harry. Or knock him out. Either works."  
  
Ron's lighthearted take on the situation (which was somewhat inappropriate, but however) made them all laugh, and for a moment, everything was back to normal.  
  
-  
  
It was, Draco realized, just a question of loyalties.  
  
And the answer was staring him in the face.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
A/N: You can wait for chapter ten. I'm certainly not telling you what Draco decides until then. 


	10. Truth Lies in the Heart

A/N: Left you with a teensy bit of a cliffhanger, did I? Nyah, nyah, nyah. It should have been fairly obvious.  
  
Thanks to: Neshomeh, for also r&r-ing 'One Old Owl'. I guess you're right, nesh, he really doesn't seem so senile from his own point of view, does he? But keep in mind, he could probably state a good case for why squirrels worship the devil and are out to get him and must be killed, all the while sounding perfectly reasonable! Not to mention his stance on House-Elves ("Secret agents for the Ministry. Who knows how much information those nosy creatures have ferreted out!").  
  
Dedicated to: DamnCat, mostly known as DC. If Deece were alive today, he'd be fourteen, same age as me. He was the inspiration for my evil-yet-nice felines who have been written into my role-plays and my stories alike. He was a loyal friend and he was always there. I swear he had feline telepathy, and he was much loved. I don't care what anyone else says, he was the handsomest cat I've ever seen. Okay, so he was a Mummy's Boy. Delilah (his mother. A cat, duh) spoiled him like no other kitten (cleaned up after him, fought off other cats…etc…etc) and then, when he was about five or so, he suddenly had to fend for himself. I'm proud of the way he coped, suddenly acting like a cat in his prime when he was well past. He died at the age of twelve, of old age. He had a heart murmur, cancer (either skin or in his eye. There was definitely something gross in his eyes), and we would have had to let him go anyway. He crept away and was gone, like autumn's leaves. He had always been there, and suddenly he wasn't, but he'll always live on in my heart, and in my stories. DC, if you're somewhere in Cat-Heaven (and I refuse to go to Heaven if DC, Delilah, and all my other dearly departed pets aren't there), and you're looking down at me, I love you lots and I'll see you in about 70 years.  
  
-  
  
Chapter Ten: Truth lies in the Heart ((how true))  
  
-  
  
Draco knew the answer to his 'question of loyalty'.  
  
He loved Morag.  
  
And he'd never been particularly fond of his father. As for Voldemort – a madman with power.  
  
Morag was something else. He didn't care if she had manipulated him; he loved her – had always quite fancied her – and he would do anything for her.  
  
-  
  
Harry paced.  
  
Kieran worried.  
  
Ron looked stunned.  
  
Ginny worried about Harry, Ron and Kieran.  
  
Hermione worried about everyone.  
  
What was going to happen now?  
  
-  
  
Morag's beautiful dress robes were torn and bloodied, her hair had fallen from the elaborate style long ago, but she still had her jewelry. Should she feel grateful? She wasn't sure.  
  
"You will be a suitable bride for Malfoy's son." Voldemort mused aloud. "Once we have the pair of you under the Imperio curse, you will be happy enough."  
  
Morag tried to block out his voice as she stirred the potion that she would have to drink before she summoned the Keeper. Her feelings had been walled off, and she ignored everything around her as she focused on the task at hand. At least they would survive, she would repeat to herself silently.  
  
But what sort of existence would they lead?  
  
She didn't want to think any further than survival.  
  
-  
  
Severus stared at the fire in his chambers.  
  
Dumbledore and those loyal witches and wizards had been using every magical means they had to search for where Voldemort had Morag and Morganna. But they had found nothing.  
  
'Nothing so far.' He corrected himself silently. 'They will be found. They have to be.'  
  
He wished he could have done something, accursed guilt rose up, silently accusing. He could have done something, he should have, he was weak, he had failed them…  
  
"No!" he shouted aloud. "I love them and I did all I could!"  
  
-  
  
Truth lies in the heart.  
  
-  
  
-  
  
A/N: I know, a really short chapter. Nyah. I don't care. And that last line was fairly ambiguous. I could have meant anything. I leave it to you to decipher. 


	11. Blood Stained Tears

A/N: Is that inspiration I feel? Nope. Just my toe going numb from the frigid conditions in the computer room of my house.  
  
Disclaimer (which I've been neglecting, oops): I do not own Harry Potter or anything else made up by the marvelous JK Rowling. I bow down to her superior writing skills and marvel that my pathetic attempts have not had me struck from this earth with lightning. Okay, that was a bit dramatic. Permit me my lunacy.  
  
Thanks to: Hmmm. Not really that many people to thank today, unless I want to start repeating myself again. Okay! I'll repeat myself!  
  
People I thank:  
  
Neshomeh, Shannon, Chrissie, My Cat Cleo for keeping me company, Cymon (for no real reason, actually), JK Rowling (for coming up with HP in the first place), Mum (for giving in and letting me work on my story long after my bedtime), my sister Janice (just because), my sister Sorcha (just because), Erin (for staying my friend even after she got to know me), Gracie (for actually keeping in sort-of contact with me, even though I'm a really annoying person and we're so far away), Granddad (for letting me borrow his videos, love ya), Rouge Magie (for reviewing this story and putting it on her favorite stories list, thankees), Me (because I'm vain and self- centered and I'm going to thank myself and I don't care what you say nyah, nyah, nyah).  
  
Dedicated to: My family. Specifically: Mum, Dad, Sorcha, Janice, DC (so what if he's a cat), Tyler, Isis (also a cat, and one that was given away a while ago. Damn you, Grandma!), Delilah (if you're looking at me from cat- heaven, I swear, the way DC turned out was so not my fault), Sampson (another cat. I barely remember him (actually I sorta don't), but he was much loved and he was either DC's or Isis's dad. I forget which), Pepper (another cat. Prat that she was, she gave me Cleo and Bast), Thrunt (no. 3, the runt. Who is now one of the most handsome and big cats I know, and I love him muchly), and that's all folks.  
  
-  
  
Chapter Eleven: Blood Stained Tears  
  
-  
  
Morag looked up as Voldemort entered the room, followed by her ever- tranquil mother.  
  
"How much longer?" he demanded, without bothering to even fake the pleasantries.  
  
"Please, I need more essence of rose." ((A/n: that rose is just never going to go away. Nyah!)) Morag looked terrified, and she was.  
  
Voldemort muttered an oath and struck her, sending her flying across the room. She hit a wall ((A/n: seems to be a habit of hers)) and passed out.  
  
-  
  
"We've found them!"  
  
Students stared at each other as this was announced. They were in a now- repaired Great Hall, eating dinner. Professor McGonagall beckoned the other forward. It was Professor Moody, and he looked triumphant.  
  
"Meeting, Dumbledore's office." McGonagall announced. "Those of you who must come know who you are."  
  
Dumbledore had been noticeably absent. Students watched as professor after professor filed out of the room.  
  
First McGonagall, then Snape, followed by Flitwick and Moody, and after them came, Remus Lupin, who had been overlooked up there, and no one had actually realized that Lupin was back here. A few students idly wondered what he was doing.  
  
Ron nudged Hermione. "Professors who can help rescue them. Bet ole Trelawney wasn't pleased about being overlooked. Sure she would have sat around her crystal ball saying things like 'I see lots of blood', 'Someone is going to die'."  
  
Hermione sniffed. "Your ability to repeat the blatantly obvious astounds me, Ron Weasley, it really does."  
  
Harry wasn't exactly pleased when Ron did his Trelawney impression. He used his bowl as a crystal ball, and he waved his hands over it.  
  
"Oooh, I see fear, oooh, a blonde girl, pretty, she's screaming, ah! Ahhhhh! The screaming has stopped…she's…she's dead!"  
  
Everyone else at the Gryffindor table laughed at Ron's portrayal of the slightly crazed Divinations professor, but Harry sat stony-faced and tight- lipped.  
  
From the looks of things, Malfoy wasn't enjoying the performance either.  
  
That didn't really comfort Harry.  
  
-  
  
"…and so," Dumbledore continued, "we should be able to get to where the Snapes are held, and if all goes to plan, rescue them."  
  
Moody looked out the window. Moodily. ((a/n: I will curb my desire for really bad puns. I will. Honest. This is supposed to be a serious writing. But I couldn't help it. I promise faithfully that Gom will never look at anyone owlishly. Promise, cross my heart.))  
  
"It's a good plan, Albus," Moody growled, "but doesn't it leave too much to chance? You're basing much of this on the assumption that Morag hasn't summoned that Keeper thing yet."  
  
Severus looked grateful that somebody had voiced his concerns. He may not like Moody much, but still.  
  
"Alastor," Albus started, but it seemed he was directing his comments more at Severus, "we will know when and if she summons it. Trust me."  
  
Despite the enormous leap of faith that would entail, the professors (and Remus) realized that they did trust the Headmaster, and that, deep down, they believed he would succeed. Because he was Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, and he always did.  
  
Blind faith.  
  
Rather like Death Eaters had for their leader.*  
  
((a/n: I feel duty-bound to note here, that Voldemort is not as charismatic as Dumbledore. Well, maybe in a way he is, but still.))  
  
It was an unsettling thought, but they brushed it away.  
  
-  
  
When Morag awoke, she was in tears.  
  
But she stood, brushed her robes, and saw that the required ingredient was on the table next to her cauldron.  
  
She wasn't sure if that was good or bad.  
  
She wiped away her tears, and found blood mingled in them. She felt along her forehead, and sure enough, there was a little blood there.  
  
'Blood stained tears,' she thought to herself. 'How befitting.'  
  
-  
  
-  
  
*I am not trying to imply that Dumbledore is evil. Stop looking at me like that. I just thought I'd point that out. Don't suspect the nice old man. I didn't mean it like that. God, you people.  
  
A/N: I know, I've been keeping the 'rescue plan' a big secret. Wanna know why? Because even I don't know exactly what it is. Details, details! Buggrem. Part of me just wants to get this damn story over and done with so I can post the next one.  
  
Extra Special Thankees:  
  
Neshomeh – sorry, sorry. Next time I'm going to have a memory featuring Jenni, I'll ask first. Talk to me about my next story, 'A Summer of Secrets', do Jenni and Este want to spend a summer in France with the Snapes/Montaques?  
  
Rouge Magie – thankees for your brilliant review! I don't think I'll steal your readers…besides, I post my chapters a lot closer together than you do yours (or so it seems, anyway), so they can finish reading my story quick quick quick. Once I get hold of something, I push it so far that it's like flogging a dead horse after a while. This story won't take long.  
  
Muggle95 – was that the pen name? I think so. Thank you for being my first reviewer that I didn't actually know already!  
  
Arcee – who reviewed my 'short story' thing 'One Old Owl'. Some collected memories and a brief life history from the POV of Montgomery Jean Montaque. Thankees! 


	12. Dreams of the Keeper

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that JK Rowling came up with. The plot and several characters belong to me.  
  
A/N: Yes…that's right…the elusive Keeper comes! Arrives here in this chapter, chapter number twelve. Hey! I've written twelve chapters! This is a first, I've never really gone back and finished any of my stories before. Which reminds me, that pathetic 'Liberty Girls' is coming down…it's a really silly story. Candy for the mind. Irritating little rich girls irritate everyone while trying to prove…all sorts of things. Gah.  
  
Thanks to: Anyone who'd like to take a brainless black cat off my hands. Jokes, jokes, I'm keeping the cat. Maybe.  
  
Dedicated to: See above. Nah, this is dedicated to my friends in the role- play boards. Let's see…names here listed:  
  
Shannon; Chrissie; Eleanor; Cymon; Locke; Kay; Rain; Rehan; corrosive; deformed; Eric (hmm. The jury's still out on you, my friend); Katherine; correan, think his name's Simon (really must pay attention mustn't I?); and many, many more.  
  
-  
  
Chapter Twelve: The Keeper Comes  
  
-  
  
The Death Eaters waited.  
  
Morag intoned the last words of the incantation and downed the last of the oddly delicious potion. She threw the last of the dark blue powder into the fire, and waited. Her robe was – as the spell insisted – plain white silk (perhaps the same heavy silk the Lady of the Lake was famed for), and her long blonde hair streamed down to her waist, silk rope tied through it in particular ways. She stood in the center of a carefully drawn pentagram.  
  
Something happened.  
  
Morag stiffened – she had been secretly hoping the spell wouldn't work.  
  
No such luck.  
  
In the fire, the most beautiful woman since the dawn of time appeared. Her hair was long, but not blonde, as some may have assumed. No, it was jet black, and her eyes were deep green. She was slender, and her figure in perfect proportion. She wore a robe identical to Morag's, and her eyes contained the wisdom of the ages.  
  
This unmatched beauty stepped from the fire and knelt before Morag.  
  
"My power is thine to command, O Fair Mistress." The woman's voice was soothing, and there was the underlying offer of anything Morag dared to dream of.  
  
For a moment, even Voldemort was entranced.  
  
Morag spoke the words that she had memorized from the book. "Keeper of Secrets, Power-wielder of the Ancients, thou art mine to command and mine alone. To thee, I am the sun and the moon and the stars and thou shalt not serve another master or mistress as long as I have breath. Swear upon thy blood."  
  
The woman nodded approvingly – had Morag said anything else, it was very unlikely she would have lived to sunrise. In the flickering light of the stars and the fire, the White Woman swore an oath of allegiance to Morag, so binding that only Morag's death could break it – and then she would still be honor-bound to protect Morag's family. Bound by more than just honor, it would not be a choice. She would not protect in the same way, but they would have her protection.  
  
Voldemort smiled.  
  
-  
  
"Bring you who?"  
  
Morag paced. He still had her mother, but she had the Keeper of Secrets. It was uncertain who had the upper hand.  
  
"Bring me Potter." Voldemort repeated.  
  
"She may not shed his blood." Morag cautioned. "The protection on Harry Potter is strong. You found a way around it, she may not have that same luxury."  
  
"She does not have to spill his blood. Merely bring him to me. I want the Potter boy, Morag Snape, now."  
  
With heavy heart and icy demeanor, Morag swept past the Death Eaters. Voldemort trusted her entirely now that he had her mother in his power. She did not know everything, but the Death Eaters could not touch her, no matter what she said or did.  
  
She was abusing that power shamelessly.  
  
Wouldn't you?  
  
-  
  
"Shut up, shut up!"  
  
"Sirius, I don't think Voldemort's going to hear us."  
  
"Bloody hell. Fine. Yell your head off for all I care."  
  
"I'll yell your head off in a minute."  
  
"Twenty points from Gryffindor."  
  
Remus and Sirius stopped arguing. Had Severus Snape just…made a joke?*  
  
They exchanged glances.  
  
"Severus…" Sirius started.  
  
"That was almost a joke." Remus finished.  
  
"Now is no time for jokes." Severus reminded them, but they both grinned. Perhaps there was hope for the greasy old professor after all.  
  
((a/n: 'greasy' is a matter of opinion. Harry and Co. think it's greasy. Severus and his family believe that it is merely well kept and radiant. Except for Morag, who thinks they're all insane. Thank you for your time, back to our scheduled programming. **somewhere in NZ, a girl falls off the chair in front of her computer, laughing**))  
  
Hope was something they were running low on at the moment.  
  
A moment's light heartedness concealed the fear and uncertainty bubbling so close to the surface.  
  
Severus shivered.  
  
His wife and daughter, they were relying on these people to rescue them.  
  
He couldn't let them down.  
  
He wouldn't let them down.  
  
If only he could believe that.  
  
-  
  
Harry stared at Hermione, looking at her as if she was a walking ogre- bogie.  
  
"You've got to be kidding." He said finally.  
  
"No way. Try thinking like Voldemort for a moment—"  
  
"Not in a million years." Ron shuddered, then added, "Why won't you just say 'You Know Who' like normal folks?"  
  
"Shut up, Ron. Listen. Try thinking like Voldemort for a moment. You've just gotten something that could bring the world to its knees before you. Wouldn't you go for the old enemies first? You were his downfall – several times. If I were Voldemort, I'd kill you first. But if I were Voldemort, I'd bring you to my lair and gloat a bit first." Hermione rushed through, so that Ron couldn't interrupt again.  
  
"So…you think Voldemort wants me?" Harry replied slowly.  
  
"Gee, Harry, you're so smart, you should like, get a prize!" Hermione gushed.  
  
"Yeah, I get it, Mione." Harry flapped a hand at her, irritated. "I'm stupid."  
  
"Harry, what's two plus two?" Hermione wasn't letting go that easy.  
  
"Five." He snapped. "Happy?"  
  
"Sorry, Harry." She didn't look very repentant though.  
  
Ron was trying not to snort pumpkin juice through his nose.  
  
-  
  
Morganna relaxed on the pile of silken cushions in her bedchamber. This was just the loveliest place she'd ever been. She had delicious food whenever she felt hungry – almost before! Her daughter was always around, and there were all these nice people.  
  
She wondered absently why Morag always floated about the place like a lost waif, and why Severus was never there.  
  
But she dismissed such thoughts, the product of an idle mind, she scolded herself, and reclined with a book.  
  
Lucius smirked as he watched her.  
  
'So much for, "Touch her and die", eh Severus old boy,' he thought to himself** and then he left.  
  
Morganna dozed off.  
  
Fretful dreams pursued her, dreams she could never quite remember when she woke up.  
  
**Dream Sequence**  
  
A lovely woman that seemed somehow familiar stood next to her. They were looking down at Morag. Morag was sleeping, but it didn't look like she was having happy dreams.  
  
'You have to help yourself to help your daughter, Mistress Snape.' The kindly woman told her. 'Fight them, Mistress Snape.'  
  
Morganna didn't understand. 'Fight who?'  
  
'You are cursed, Mistress Snape. The Imperio curse. Remember Morag, remember Severus! You are all in grave danger and you must trust me. Remember this dream – remember your daughter's pain. You will surely die if she fails, but if you fail, she will never truly live. The Death Eaters have captured you. Lucius Malfoy has you under the Imperio Curse, one of the three Unforgivable Curses. You must fight.'  
  
Morganna understood. 'I will,'  
  
'Fight it,' the woman said one last time. And then she was gone.  
  
**End Dream Sequence**  
  
Morganna awoke with a start. There was something she had to remember, something important. About…Morag?  
  
-  
  
A/N: Well, what do you think? Morganna is having dreams of the Keeper and Lucius Malfoy is a prat. Like we need told twice.  
  
*Pretty hard to believe, huh?  
  
**Quote from a role-play. She insulted him, he advanced on her, and Severus said 'Touch her and die'. Thought I'd throw that in. Don't know why. Isn't he a prat, a major pillock? Amen to that. Down with Malfoy Snr. 


	13. And Then There Were Three

Disclaimer (which I keep neglecting…oops): Anything created by JK Rowling does not belong to me, but to her, the benevolent goddess of Hogwarts.  
  
Authors Note: This chapter has taken the longest to get up, since I put it off for a few days and had a bit of writer's block. But here it is, and I hope it's well received.  
  
Thanks to:…  
  
Dedicated to: Harry Potter Lovers Every Where.  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Thirteen: And then there were three.  
  
~*~  
  
Morag paced.  
  
She knew she had no choice.  
  
Voldemort wanted Harry.  
  
And she wanted Harry too, but not for quite the same reasons…  
  
'Damn.' She thought. 'I'm Draco's girlfriend, I'm not supposed to be thinking about Harry – I mean Potter – when I'm kidnapped by a dark lord.'  
  
She paced some more.  
  
'Well, I never succeeded in my plan,' she muses, 'so I guess it's entirely possible that Draco's found out that I was manipulating him and I'm not his girlfriend anymore…but I love Draco too!'  
  
Damn is right.  
  
((author's note: I want her problem…not the being kidnapped and all, but having to choose between two great (matter of opinion) guys.))  
  
~*~  
  
Remus, Sirius, and Severus weren't that far away. But they could feel the power building in the area.  
  
Severus swore.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Yeah, what?"  
  
"Idiots. She's already summoned it, and now it's going to do something." Severus snapped.  
  
"It?"  
  
"The Keeper of Secrets, you dolt."  
  
"What'll it do?" Remus asked, dubious.  
  
"What would Voldemort want most, now that he's approaching the height of his power?" Severus answered with a question of his own.  
  
"That's easy, Ha—oh god…" Sirius trailed off, eyes widening.  
  
"Aren't you Gryffindors supposed to be brave?" Severus asked sardonically.  
  
"Shut up, Severus!" Sirius and Remus said as one.  
  
"That's your daughter in there, keep that in mind when you pause to insult us." Sirius hissed.  
  
Severus didn't reply.  
  
He didn't trust himself to.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry stared at Hermione.  
  
She was making a lot of sense.  
  
And then, he vanished.  
  
Hermione screamed.  
  
~*~  
  
Ron raced into the Gryffindor common room to find Hermione still standing exactly where she'd been just before Harry vanished.  
  
"What happened?" he demanded.  
  
"I-I don't know, Ron." She said hesitantly, as if she were afraid he might vanish as well. "One minute I was talking to him, the next – poof! He's gone."  
  
"We better tell Dumbledore." Ron decided firmly, taking her by the elbow.  
  
Hermione followed him silently; her eyes still wide with fright.  
  
~*~  
  
Dumbledore nodded, sighing. "It is not entirely unexpected."  
  
"We know that! I was warning Harry they might kidnap him too—" Hermione said, but she was cut off by Professor McGonagall.  
  
"Miss Granger, please calm down."  
  
"Yes, professor." Hermione settled back down into her chair.  
  
"So, Harry has joined Miss and Mrs. Snape, held captive with Voldemort." Dumbledore stood in front of the fireplace in his office.  
  
~*~  
  
As for our captives?  
  
And then there were three.  
  
~*~  
  
-  
  
-  
  
author's note: I'm enjoying writing this story. I think I'm looking forward to chapter 14 more than anyone else…nobody seems to be reading past chapter one or two…has anyone even seen most of this story?  
  
Sigh. 


	14. The Serpent's Kiss

Disclaimer (which I keep neglecting…): Anything that can be found in the Harry Potter series does not belong to me, but to the benevolent goddess of Hogwarts, JK Rowling.  
  
Author's Note: My Internet's been playing up, so I got chapter thirteen finished around the same time as I started this chapter. Damn connection.  
  
Thanks to: All the people who've reviewed this story. And it was muggle25 that reviewed first, not muggle95. You can upgrade computers, can you upgrade memories? It would certainly help me…  
  
Dedicated to: Erin, Justine, Finau and Elli.  
  
~*~  
  
Harry appeared, disoriented, in front of Morag. They stood in a converted dungeon (the Keeper worked wonders, and though they were captives, they were clean and comfortable captives), and next to Morag was a strange woman Harry had never seen before.  
  
"What happened?" Harry asked.  
  
"I had the Keeper summon you here." Morag whispered.  
  
"The Keep—oh." Harry stared at the woman, presumably the Keeper.  
  
"The Boy Who Lived." She murmured. "Let us hope you continue to do so."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" he demanded.  
  
"Don't be a moron, Harry. Why do you think Voldemort had me summon you?" Morag sounded tired and annoyed.  
  
~*~  
  
Hermione paced, and Ron tried to reassure her.  
  
"Come on, Mione, Harry's been up against You Know Who before – why should now be different?"  
  
"Because now Voldemort –" "Can't you people say You Know Who?" "—has Morag. Who commands the Keeper." Hermione snapped in irritation.  
  
"Harry won't get himself into anything he can't handle." Ron said confidently.  
  
"She might."  
  
~*~  
  
"I can hear them! Sirius, Severus, get over here!" Remus whispered, jubilant.  
  
Severus and Sirius pushed past each other to get a better view of the window. In the small-but-cozy room, Morag paced in front of the fire and Harry sat on a chair in the corner, thinking.  
  
Morag looked up suddenly. "Father." She whispered.  
  
Severus, Sirius, and Remus could all hear her.  
  
"How did she know we were here?" Sirius asked, baffled.  
  
"You mean how did she know her father was here, Sirius." Remus corrected.  
  
"Who cares how she knew?" Severus snapped in reply.  
  
"Good point." Remus conceded. "Morag!" he called as quietly as he could, as loudly as he dared.  
  
"Professor Lupin?" Morag went to the window. "Mr. Black? Father?"  
  
"Yes, yes, we're here." Remus replied, as Severus was trying not to do cartwheels in his euphoria that she was safe.  
  
"Mother is under the Imperio curse." She told them softly. "I've been sending her dreams with the Keeper, but I don't know how much success I'm having. I know that in her dreams, she recognizes the danger, and she is in her own mind, but I don't think she's able to remember them when she wakes."  
  
Severus swore. In several languages.  
  
"Why, Father, I never knew you had it in you." She mocked, but it was half- hearted. She was just as glad to see him as he was to see her.  
  
"Is Harry all right?" Sirius cut through the touching, heartfelt reunion of father and daughter.  
  
"Harry? He's fine." Morag replied. "You want I should get him?"  
  
"That'd be good, yes." Sirius sounded relieved.  
  
Morag headed over to where Harry sat. She knelt in front of him, eyes full, oddly enough, of gentle kindness. Severus's heart swelled as he thought of how like her mother she seemed.  
  
He'd have been happier if she could have demonstrated it before someone other than Potter, but never mind.  
  
"Harry, Harry come on," Morag whispered. "Mr. Black, Professor Lupin and Father are by the window. Mr. Black wants to talk to you."  
  
Harry looked into her eyes for the barest moment, and nodded curtly, standing and walking to the window. She stood next to him.  
  
Suddenly, to the surprise of all there, she took Harry in her arms and kissed him.  
  
The reason became obvious when Lucius Malfoy started sniggering.  
  
"Cheating on my son, Miss Snape? That won't do." Lucius told her.  
  
Harry was still reeling from the mixed emotions Morag's kiss had summoned, and she knew it, he felt sure.  
  
Sirius and Remus were busy congratulating Severus on having such an intelligent, quick young daughter, who they felt sure had just saved all their lives.  
  
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Morag said in her most bored tone of voice. "In case you hadn't noticed, I was rather busy." She stretched languorously, and reached up behind her to massage Harry's neck.  
  
Severus felt that was uncalled for, but kept quiet.  
  
Sirius looked like he wanted to catcall and be generally immature.  
  
Remus was amused by the show Miss Snape was putting on for them all.  
  
Harry, meanwhile, was hoping that the blush he felt sure was there wasn't too obvious.  
  
"I can see that, Miss Snape." Lucius replied. "I was merely checking on you. The master doesn't want his little princess to want for anything, you're to tell us if there's anything we can do."  
  
"That's easy." Morag replied, a little closer to Harry than he felt was safe, and he automatically put his arms possessively around her waist. The smoldering look he received Malfoy put down to young 'love', but Harry recognized it for what it was. Morag's way of telling him he was doing exactly what he should. "Let me, Mother, and Harry go, before killing yourself in the most painful and torturous way possible."  
  
Malfoy was chuckling as he left.  
  
~*~  
  
Morag spun out of Harry's grasp, and turned back to the window.  
  
"Bravo, Miss Snape. A virtuoso performance." Sirius complimented her.  
  
She blushed becomingly – but there was no way that he could know that it was not all acting.  
  
"Harry caught on quickly, if he hadn't…" she left it hanging, and all four* men shuddered.  
  
Severus still thought that parts of it were uncalled for, but he remained silent. Until Morag gave him what can only be called a pleading look, and he relented. "Very good, Morag."  
  
She glowed in her father's praise, and Harry envied her. Maybe Snape wasn't her real father, but he loved her, obviously, and she loved him too. She had the family life he'd always wanted.  
  
"I have to go, Voldemort will want to speak to me soon, as always." Morag told them, and sighed. "Harry – you – are to be killed rather more publicly than other deaths. Voldemort wants all to witness his victory over the Boy Who Lived, in the hopes that it will demoralize the wizarding world and make his takeover easier."  
  
"There are so many shades of gray, but Voldemort really is the Dark Lord." Severus observed. Morag reached through the tiny gap they had to speak between, and touched her fingertips to her father's.  
  
"We're going to be all right, Father." She whispered, with a confidence she did not feel. "Mother and I, and Harry, we're all going to get out, go home, and we're going to talk about this one day, remember."  
  
Harry wished he could hold her tight then, just feel her reassuring warmth and breathe in her rosy scent. He realized with a jolt that he had felt infinitely safe in her arms, and that he was daydreaming about Draco Malfoy's girlfriend.  
  
~*~  
  
Dumbledore sighed, as he looked into the scrying bowl.  
  
"Harry Potter and Morag Snape?" Moody didn't sound too pleased with the idea.  
  
"I don't set too much store in old prophecies, but did it not say that the Lion and the Serpent would be wed and in their union would be our safekeeping?" Dumbledore replied, a twinkle in his eyes.  
  
"That's an old myth, and I doubt it has anything to do with the Snape girl and Potter." Moody said, but he didn't sound as convinced.  
  
Dumbledore smiled.  
  
~*~  
  
*Harry may or may not count as a man at 15, but since he's a little old to be called a little boy and I can't be bothered working out the perfect title…  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
Thanks to my four reviewers, and please, people, read Sevvy Snape's 'Irony of Living' and my 'Once Upon A Time' for closer looks at the characters of Severus Snape and Morganna Montaque, respectively. 


	15. Love, Fear, and Numbness

Disclaimer: All you recognize belongs to Hogwarts' benevolent goddess, JK Rowling. Sevvy Snape's disclaimer has something about playing in her backyard. Well, I'm playing in her front yard, the bathroom, the living room, the kitchen…  
  
Author's Note: Nothing special to say, really. I got reviews! I'm so happy…lookit my nice reviews…  
  
Thanks to: Umm. Er. I think I've thanked everybody there is to thank…so refer to other chapters.  
  
Dedicated to: My mum, since it's mother's day.  
  
~*~  
  
Chapter Fifteen: Love, Fear, and Numbness  
  
~*~  
  
"We have to get you out now," Remus told Harry and Morag. "The fighting started about half an hour ago – we need you away from here before Voldemort thinks to use you."  
  
Morag nodded. "We can come out the window pretty easily, if I get the Keeper to do a few things."  
  
"Such as?" Severus asked.  
  
"Keep the door shut tight until we're safely away—" Morag was cut off by her mother, who suddenly looked very frightened and upset.  
  
"We're – oh my god…" Morganna couldn't see Severus, Remus, or Sirius.  
  
"Malfoy died, evidently." Sirius muttered. "Your wife's awake."  
  
"I gathered that." Severus replied. "Morag, can you get her to come over here?"  
  
"Yes, Father." Morag went and coaxed her mother over to the window.  
  
"Severus?" Morganna looked startled. "And Remus, and Sirius…are we going to get out of here?"  
  
Harry saw the worry and fear in Mrs. Snape's eyes, and felt for her – having felt that way not too long ago.  
  
"Yes." Severus nodded, and Morganna sighed in relief. "Morag's going to have the Keeper attend to a few things, and then you're coming out the window."  
  
~*~  
  
"…so you know what you are doing?"  
  
"It will be as you command, mistress." The keeper smiled at Morag, and did as she was bid.  
  
"Open the window, Harry." Morag ordered.  
  
Harry complied readily, waiting for Morag's next tyrannical order – the 'self-proclaimed empress' was back in full swing. It wasn't really the orders she gave, just the tone in which she gave them.  
  
"Mother goes first." Morag said firmly.  
  
Morganna hesitated, but the three men outside the window nodded encouragingly, and she climbed out, allowing herself to be helped to the ground. She stood close to Severus, and his arm encircled her waist protectively.  
  
"Next you, Harry." Morag's voice shook, she hoped that their plan would work. The keeper had promised a distraction for Voldemort, but Morag was something of a pessimist.  
  
Harry nodded, figuring that arguing with her was pointless, and climbed out, dropping easily to the ground.  
  
"Your turn, Morag, then the Keeper." Remus told her.  
  
Morag took a deep breath and then hurried out the window, followed by the keeper, who sealed the window after them.  
  
There was no time for tears of joy and happy reunions, for they could all see the blood and fire where Auror fought Death Eater.  
  
"Come, we brought extra brooms." Sirius told them, and led the way to the secluded patch of forest where the brooms were hidden.  
  
~*~  
  
"He's really dead?"  
  
"Yes, Draco." Dumbledore nodded. "His spells ended with his life, five people witnessed Mrs. Snape coming out of the Imperio Curse."  
  
Draco nodded. It was strange, but he didn't really feel any particular grief at his father's death. He greeted the news as if it were someone telling him that a car hit a cat – since he didn't really know what a car was, it didn't register.  
  
The Dementors were being taken away from Azkaban, replaced with specially trained witches and wizards.  
  
Most of the wizarding community slept easier at night after that was announced.  
  
Draco walked out of Dumbledore's office, oddly numb.  
  
Dumbledore sighed. "Lucius may not be as dead as we think."  
  
~*~  
  
For once, it was not Harry that faced Voldemort.  
  
The majority of his Death Eaters had, well, died.  
  
Was it poetic justice that Lucius Malfoy died of a dagger flung into his mouth as he hurled insults while fighting?  
  
True Death Eating, one could say.  
  
Voldemort did not stay and fight. He vanished into the forest with what was left of his Death Eaters, and all knew that the fight would go on.  
  
Until Voldemort and all his Death Eaters were dead – really dead.  
  
In the meantime, maybe – just maybe – they were safe for a while.  
  
~*~  
  
Author's Note: Yeah, yeah, I know, lame ending. I suffered writers block and this is the best I could come up with! Those who want to know what happens to the Draco/Morag/Harry thing, stay tuned for the sequel…truth comes out in chapter five of 'A Summer of Secrets'. Thanks for reading! 


	16. Epilogue

Author's Note: Yaddayaddayadda.  
  
Thanks to: Everyone.  
  
Dedicated to: I'll let you know.  
  
Disclaimer: Nothing created by JK Rowling belongs to me.  
  
~*~  
  
Morag fell asleep in her father's arms as they drove home for the summer.  
  
She had had a long year, and it was taking its toll on her.  
  
But the sun was still shining, the birds were still singing, and Morag Snape was going home.  
  
In some ways, she was home already.  
  
"Severus?" Morganna asked.  
  
"Yes, dear?"  
  
"Why don't we go to France for the summer?"  
  
~*~  
  
Author's note: And that's all, folks!  
  
Well, not quite.  
  
There is a sequel! Omg! The Snape's summer holiday. Mischief, family secrets, and talking owls that translate for a very rude cat named Damnation. Enjoy! 


End file.
